Smoking in children: Developing a social psychological strategy of deterrence

It is hoped that preventing children from starting to smoke will prove to be more effective than attempting to deal with already addicted smokers.

Abstract

Because smoking as an identifiable risk factor for several diseases, has not declined in adults and may be increasing in teen-agers and children, a social-psychological strategy to deter smoking in children is currently being implemented in the Houston (Texas) Independent School District. The study, developed by a group at the University of Houston Psychology Department, involves various sociological and psychological devices, such as modeling, identification, and attribution in conjunction with persuasive communication techniques—affect, specificity, and feedback. A pretest, post-test design is employed in a longitudinal study. An independent variable package, used in the pilot study involving seventh graders, includes four different videotapes presented to the subjects on four consecutive days. The role-played sequences in the tapes reflect how pressures by peers, parents, and media can precipitate smoking in children. The tape presentation is followed by focused discussion about coping with these pressures. The dependent variable package, in addition to various attitudinal and reported smoking behavior responses, employs a novel nicotine-in-saliva measure for more objective determination of whether or not a student is smoking. The long term longitudinal study will involve fifth- through 12th-graders. It is hoped that preventing children from starting to smoke will prove to be more effective than attempting to deal with already addicted smokers.