Depressive symptoms and cigarette smoking in a college sample.
OBJECTIVE
The authors examined (1) the relationship between depressive symptoms and cigarette smoking in a college sample and (2) the role of smoking self-efficacy (one's perceived ability to abstain from smoking) in explaining the relationship between depressive symptoms and cigarette smoking.


METHODS
Predominantly first-year college students at a large public university completed a self-report inventory indexing depressive symptoms, cigarette smoking, and smoking self-efficacy.


RESULTS
Findings indicated that students high in depressive symptoms smoked significantly more cigarettes per day than did those with low depressive symptoms. Further, among current smokers, smoking self-efficacy explained the relationship between depressive symptoms and cigarette smoking.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings add to accumulating evidence that depressive symptoms are a risk factor for increased cigarette smoking in college students. The authors discuss implications for university-based smoking cessation and prevention programs.
Kenney
Brent A
BA
Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
Holahan
Charles J
CJ
D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D013334:Students; D014495:Universities