[Social and individual determinants of tobacco consumption in early adolescence].
OBJECTIVE
We examined the structure of individual and social determinants of tobacco consumption in early adolescence.


METHODS
Participants were drawn from a longitudinal study of a birth cohort of originally 384 children at risk for psychopathology. At the age of 15 years, adolescents completed self-report questionnaires measuring their tobacco consumption, smoking-related attitudes (self-efficacy and outcome expectancies), and the smoking behaviour of their friends and parents.


RESULTS
About 60% of the 15-year olds reported ever having used tobacco, while nearly 16% reported that they smoked daily. Both smoking-related self-efficacy and peer smoking were most strongly related to early use of tobacco by males and females. Adolescents with a low level of self-efficacy and a large number of friends who smoke were at the greatest risk. While peer smoking influenced both, adolescent smoking and smoking-related attitudes, parental smoking exerted only a minor direct effect on tobacco use among 15-year olds.


CONCLUSIONS
The smoking level and smoking-related attitudes during early adolescence are strongly influenced by the smoking habits of one's peers.
Hohm
Erika
E
Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie des Kindes- und Jugendalters des Zentralinstituts für Seelische Gesundheit, Mannheim. hohm@zi-mannheim.de
Laucht
Manfred
M
Schmidt
Martin H
MH
D000293:Adolescent; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D010379:Peer Group; D011599:Psychopathology; D012306:Risk; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology*; D012932:Social Facilitation