title: Peer influence and selection processes in adolescent smoking behavior: a comparative study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Adolescent smoking studies find evidence of active peer influence and selection processes. However, studies have shown that these processes operate differently depending on context. This study uses SIENA to model coevolutionary processes between smoking and changes in friendship ties, comparing two high schools in which data were collected in identical fashion to explore influence and selection mechanisms with respect to current smoking, and smoking levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a longitudinal survey with 2 waves of data. In-home surveys were conducted with students from 2 large high schools in the United States: a West Coast school, and a Midwestern school. Participants were consented students in 10th and 11th grades at the first wave of data collection. The primary measures were self-reported smoking behavior and friendship nominations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There is evidence of influence and selection in both schools for adolescents' smoking status (1 = any smoking) and for level of smoking.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These models reflect great similarities in influence and selection processes across schools for different smoking behaviors. However, smoking prevalence may impact the exact mechanisms by which influence and selection operate. Researchers should consider smoking interventions with independent modules addressing different selection and influence processes, implemented based on contextual factors such as the prevalence of smoking.
authors.affiliation: RAND Corporation Santa Monica, CA 90407-2138, USA. hgreen@rand.org
authors.forename: Harold D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Horta
authors.forename: Kayla
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: de la Haye
authors.forename: Joan S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Tucker
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pollard
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology*; D013269:Stochastic Processes