title: Examining the relationship between personality and affect-related attributes and adolescents' intentions to try smoking using the Substance Use Risk Profile Scale.
abstract: Assessments of adolescents' smoking intentions indicate that many are susceptible to smoking initiation because they do not have resolute intentions to abstain from trying smoking in the future. Although researchers have developed personality and affect-related risk factor profiles to understand risk for the initiation of substance use and abuse (e.g., alcohol), few have examined the extent to which these risk factors are related to the tobacco use intentions of adolescents who have yet to try tobacco smoking. The objective of this study was to examine the relationships between personality and affect-related risk factors measured by the Substance Use Risk Profile Scale (SURPS) and smoking intentions in a sample of adolescents who have not experimented with tobacco smoking. Data is based on responses from 1352 participants in the British Columbia Adolescent Substance Use Survey (56% female, 76% in Grade 8) who had never tried smoking tobacco. Of these 1352 participants, 29% (n=338) were classified as not having resolute intentions to not try smoking. Generalized estimating equations were used to examine the relationship between each SURPS dimension (Anxiety Sensitivity, Hopelessness, Impulsivity and Sensation Seeking) and the intention to try cigarettes in the future. Hopelessness (AOR 1.06, 95% CI [1.03, 1.10], p<.001), Impulsivity (AOR 1.07 [1.03, 1.11], p<.001) and Sensation Seeking (AOR 1.05 95% CI [1.02, 1.09], p<.01) had independent statistically significant associations with having an intention to try smoking. These findings may be used to inform a prevention-oriented framework to reduce susceptibility to tobacco smoking.
authors.affiliation: School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 2206 East Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada. Electronic address: jasmina.memetovic@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jasmina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Memetovic
authors.affiliation: Faulty of Education, University of British Columbia, 2125 Main Mall Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada; School of Nursing, Faculty of Applied Science, University of British Columbia, 302-6190 Agronomy Road, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada. Electronic address: pam.ratner@ubc.ca.
authors.forename: Pamela A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Ratner
authors.affiliation: School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 2206 East Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada. Electronic address: carolyn.gotay@ubc.ca.
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gotay
authors.affiliation: School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 2206 East Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada. Electronic address: chris.richardson@ubc.ca.
authors.forename: Christopher G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Richardson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000339:Affect; D001955:British Columbia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008297:Male; D010551:Personality; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Adolescence; Smoking intention; Substance Use Risk Profile Scale; Tobacco prevention