Adolescents’ susceptibility to imitate the smoking behaviour of peers: the moderating effect of self-esteem and self-efficacy

Abstract

Abstract: The central focus of the present study was whether individual characteristics (self-esteem and self-efficacy) were moderating factors for the susceptibility of adolescents to imitating the smoking behaviour of peers. This was examined in an observational, experimental 2 factor smoking design (confederate smoking three cigarettes and not smoking) among 36 students of intermediate technical and vocational-training in an age-range of 16-24 years. By means of an Internet connection and a webcam, the youngsters could communicate with each other. Instruments used in the present study were the Rosenberg self-esteem scale, a self-efficacy scale and measuring CO-level by using a smokerlyzer. Data-analysis consisted of descriptive analyses and linear regression analysis. The results showed that only the variable total amount of cigarettes smoked by confederate was significant on the smoking behaviour of the subject. No interaction effect between both individual characteristics and the smoking behaviour of the confederate was found. Nevertheless, the present study do gave several new insights in underlying mechanisms of the smoking behaviour of adolescents, which can be very useful for the development of (new) intervention programs.