title: Stages of smoking acquisition of young Taiwanese adolescents: self-efficacy and decisional balance.
abstract: The objective of this study was to assess relationships of the stages of smoking acquisition with self-efficacy and decisional balance in young Taiwanese adolescents. A random sample of 401 students was recruited. Students who were at the precontemplation stage had higher self-efficacy to resist smoking initiation than those who were at the decision-making or maintenance stages. Ratings of benefits of smoking were significantly higher for those in the maintenance stage than in the precontemplation or decision-making stages. In a discriminant function analysis, self-efficacy and decisional balance correctly predicted 77.4% of membership in the three stages. Health educators could use stage-specific skills and strategies based on self-efficacy and decision balance constructs to develop smoking prevention programs.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark, NJ 07107, USA.
authors.forename: Huey-Shys
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Sharon D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Horner
authors.forename: Melanie S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Percy
authors.forename: Jiunn-Jye
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Sheu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010379:Peer Group; D011594:Psychometrics; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology