Coping skills and parent support mediate the association between childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and adolescent cigarette use.
OBJECTIVE
To examine mediators of the association between childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and adolescent cigarette use.


METHODS
Participants were 142 adolescents diagnosed with ADHD in childhood and 100 adolescents without ADHD.


RESULTS
Among probands, cigarette smoking was more frequent, adaptive coping skills (behavioral and cognitive) were fewer, and parental support was lower. Coping and support partially mediated the ADHD association with smoking. Persistence of ADHD and adolescent conduct disorder were also important.


CONCLUSIONS
Vulnerability to smoking among probands may be partly due to fewer problem-solving resources. Coping skill deficits and parent-child communication may be important treatment targets for smoking prevention.
Molina
Brooke S G
BS
Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, 3811 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. molinab@upmc.edu
Marshal
Michael P
MP
Pelham
William E
WE
Wirth
R J
RJ
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D002657:Child Development; D003142:Communication; D015897:Comorbidity; D006801:Humans; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D015995:Prevalence; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention