Movie exposure to smoking cues and adolescent smoking onset: a test for mediation through peer affiliations.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether the effect of movie exposure to smoking on adolescent smoking onset is mediated through increased affiliation with peers who smoke.


METHODS
A longitudinal study was conducted with a sample of 5th- 8th graders; persons who were nonsmokers at the baseline assessment (N = 2,614) were followed up 18 months later. Movie exposure to smoking cues was assessed at baseline with a rigorous coding procedure.


METHODS
A school-based survey and follow-up telephone interview determined whether the participant smoked cigarettes.


RESULTS
Longitudinal structural modeling analysis indicated movie-smoking exposure was related to smoking onset both through an indirect effect involving increased affiliation with peer smokers and through a direct effect. The analysis controlled for demographics, parenting style, rebelliousness and sensation seeking, school performance, parental smoking, and sibling smoking; several of these variables also had mediated or direct effects to smoking onset.


CONCLUSIONS
The effect of movie exposure on adolescent smoking onset is attributable in part to a social mechanism. Implications of media effects for prevention are discussed.
Wills
Thomas A
TA
Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461, USA. wills@aecom.yu.edu
Sargent
James D
JD
Stoolmiller
Mike
M
Gibbons
Frederick X
FX
Worth
Keilah A
KA
Dal Cin
Sonya
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D002648:Child; D003463:Cues; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009040:Motion Pictures; D009513:New Hampshire / Q000453:epidemiology; D010379:Peer Group; D011582:Psychological Theory; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D014707:Vermont / Q000453:epidemiology