title: Adolescents' movement towards cessation of smoking: role and relative value of the processes of change and nicotine dependence.
abstract: The present study addresses the applicability of the Transtheoretical Model's processes of change in explaining adolescents' readiness to quit smoking. Furthermore, the association between nicotine dependence and readiness to quit was assessed both directly, as well as indirectly through the processes of change. A cross-sectional survey was conducted, identifying 1547 weekly smokers aged 14-18 years. Structural equation modelling showed that the processes of change were only marginally associated with readiness to quit. Adding nicotine dependence to the model showed a direct association between nicotine dependence and readiness to quit. Only one process of change, self-liberation (i.e. choice/commitment to change and belief in the ability to change), was found to mediate this association. Nicotine dependence appeared to be highly important in adolescents' readiness to quit.
authors.affiliation: a Addiction Research Institute (IVO) , Rotterdam , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marloes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kleinjan
authors.forename: Regina J J M
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: van den Eijnden
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van Leeuwe
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brug
authors.forename: Monique O M
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: van de Ven
authors.forename: Rutger C M E
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Engels
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000523:psychology*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Nicotine dependence; adolescents; processes of change; smoking cessation; stages of change