Application of the Protection Motivation Theory in predicting cigarette smoking among adolescents in China (original) (raw)

Smoking intention among Chinese youth and implications for health interventions

Asia Pacific Journal of Counselling and Psychotherapy, 2014

Research in China reports increasing rates of smoking acquisition among young people. Health interventions are urgently needed to curb this trend. This study investigates smoking intention among Chinese youth as a starting point for developing smoking prevention strategies. Using the framework of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), a cross-sectional study of 18- and 19-year-old students (N = 949) was conducted in two schools in Kunming, Southwest China, to investigate their smoking intention. The TPB worked extremely well as a predictive model of intention to smoke, accounting for 55–65% of the variance. The TPB model differentiated students with different experiences of smoking. Means of intention, attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control were highest among current smokers, lower among former smokers and experimental smokers and lowest among never smokers. Intention–attitude relationships were strongest among current smokers, whereas intention–subjective norm relationships were strongest among never smokers. The strength of beliefs underlying each TPB construct also differed according to smoking experience. These findings have important implications for developing smoking prevention strategies as different TPB constructs and underlying beliefs could be targeted in health interventions and counselling for students with different smoking experiences.

Utility of the theory of reasoned action and theory of planned behavior for predicting Chinese adolescent smoking

Addictive Behaviors, 2007

One third of smokers worldwide live in China. Identifying predictors of smoking is important for prevention program development. This study explored whether the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) and Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) predict adolescent smoking in China. Data were obtained from 14,434 middle and high school students (48.6% boys, 51.4% girls) in seven geographically varied cities in China. TRA and TPB were tested by multilevel mediation modeling, and compared by multilevel analyses and likelihood ratio tests. Perceived behavioral control was tested as a main effect in TPB and a moderation effect in TRA. The mediation effects of smoking intention were supported in both models (p b 0.001). TPB accounted for significantly more variance than TRA (p b 0.001). Perceived behavioral control significantly interacted with attitudes and social norms in TRA (p b 0.001). Therefore, TRA and TPB are applicable to China to predict adolescent smoking. TPB is superior to TRA for the prediction and TRA can better predict smoking among students with lower than higher perceived behavioral control.

Influences affecting adolescent smoking behavior in China

Nicotine & tobacco …, 2006

This study examined multiple influences on the use of tobacco by adolescents in China. Using the theory of triadic influences as a guide, we selected interpersonal, attitudinal/cultural, and intrapersonal constructs from baseline data to predict adolescent smoking 1 year later. We used prospective data from middle and high school students (N511,583) and their parents from the China Seven Cities Study, a longitudinal study that is evaluating the effects of changing economic and social factors on health behaviors including tobacco use. A multilevel regression analysis provided some support that each of the influences in the theory of triadic influences affects adolescent smoking in China. After adjusting for important confounders including age, gender, socioeconomic status, and smoking behaviors (lifetime and past 30-day) at baseline, we found significant risk factors within each of the three categories, including interpersonal influences (parental monitoring, good friend smoking, and peer smoking), attitudinal/cultural influences (school academic ranking, initial liking of smoking, and the meaning of smoking), and intrapersonal influences (susceptibility to smoking, and low self-confidence to quit smoking). Results suggest that the etiology of smoking among adolescents in China might be similar to that observed in western countries and that some of the techniques used successfully in prevention programs in those countries might be useful guides when developing prevention programs in China.

Psychosocial predictors of smoking among secondary school students in Henan, China

Health Education Research, 2000

The objective of this study was to measure Tobacco use is a leading cause of preventable death (US Department of Health and Human Ser-the risk factors associated with tobacco use among secondary school students in Henan, vice, 1989). Calculations from the World Health Organization and the University of Oxford indicate China. Self-reported questionnaires were administered to four secondary schools; 3519 that every second smoker will die prematurely as a result of smoking (Peto et al., 1994). In China, students were studied including 1799 boys and 1720 girls aged 10-19. Demographic, research has shown that the prevalence of smoking is alarming high in the adult population (Gong behavioral, attitudinal/belief, knowledge and interpersonal variables were investigated. et al., 1995; Lam et al., 1997), but little is known about adolescents smoking because few studies Overall, 15.1% of boys and 1.4% girls reported smoking at least occasionally. Smoking onset have focused specifically on this population. The efficacious design of smoking control strategies is most prevalent from the ages of 10-14. The smoking rate increased with age. The likelihood for adolescents is hampered by the relative absence of information. Much of our current knowledge on of tobacco use was significantly higher among those having peers, teachers or mother who teenage smoking has come from Western countries. Various studies have noted that adolescence is smoked. Positive smoking-related attitudes among students had a significant association a major risk period in the process of becoming tobacco dependent (US Department of Health and with their smoking status. The results suggest that effective smoking prevention interventions Human Service, 1988; O'Loughlin et al., 1998). The younger the age at which young people start need to be comprehensive and implemented in the early teen years. to smoke, the more likely they are to become regular smokers in adulthood (Paavola et al., 1996). A report from the US Surgeon General (US Department of Health and Human Service, 1988) stated that most young people will never use tobacco if they remain non-smokers during their

Adolescents' protection motivation and smoking behaviour

Health Education Research, 2013

The protection motivation theory (PMT) is a well-known theory of behaviour change. This study tested the applicability of the sub-constructs of threat and coping appraisal in predicting adolescents' smoking-related behavioural intentions and smoking behaviour longitudinally. Adolescents (N ¼ 494) aged 11-16 years and not currently smoking at baseline participated in the study. Predictive validity of PMT constructs was tested in a path analysis model. Self-efficacy significantly predicted behavioural intention at baseline, which significantly predicted behavioural intention at follow-up, which in turn predicted smoking behaviour at follow-up. The effect of self-efficacy on behavioural intention at follow-up was mediated by behavioural intention at baseline and the effect of self-efficacy on smoking behaviour was mediated by behavioural intention at baseline and follow-up. In conclusion, we found support for one part of the PMT, namely for the predictive validity of the coping appraisal construct self-efficacy in predicting adolescents' smoking-related behavioural intention and smoking behaviour. These results fail to support the appropriateness of the PMT's construct threat appraisal in longitudinally predicting adolescents' smoking as well as the applicability of communicating fear and negative information as preventive interventions for this target group.

Beliefs about smoking cigarettes among adolescents in Yunnan Province, China

Journal of Substance Use, 2022

Objective: Adolescence is an important time period in smoking experimentation and initiation. This study examined heterogeneity in key beliefs about smoking intention among Chinese adolescents. Methods: Survey data came from 951 students (18 and 19 years) in two high schools in Kunming, Yunnan Province, China. The survey questions assessed smoking beliefs and perceptions based on the Theory of Planned Behavior. Regression and latent class analysis were utilized to identify key beliefs (i.e., beliefs that are most influential in smoking intention) and their heterogeneity. Results: Emotion-related beliefs were reported by both genders, highlighting the role of anxiety and stress in smoking intention. Female and male adolescents had different sets of key beliefs. There were distinct subgroups of beliefs in the sample (two among female adolescents, and three among male adolescents) characterized by disparate patterns of behavioral beliefs, normative beliefs, and control beliefs and smoking status. Conclusions: Considerable heterogeneity in belief profiles, which differs based on gender and smoking status, furnishes a more complete understanding of smoking intention among Chinese adolescents. Gender-specific anti-smoking interventions can be targeted to the beliefs of specific subgroups of adolescents. Stress management for students could also be a useful tool to prevent smoking uptake.

Predicting Smokeless Tobacco Consumption Behavior of Adolescent Students Through Protection Motivation Theory

Education Quarterly

Smokeless tobacco, a type of tobacco product that is consumed without burning, is detrimental to health but its consumption among youths of Nepal is increasing. In this regard, the main purpose of this paper is to predict SLT consumption behavior of students based on protection motivation theory (PMT), which is mostly used to study health related protective behaviors. For this study, descriptive research design was followed. Adolescent students of Class 9 and 10 of community schools of Siraha districts comprised the population of the study and the sample was selected by applying multiple-cluster sampling method. Although the sample size was 240, which was determined by using Yamane formula, only data of 225 students were analyzed due to discarding 15 incomplete questionnaires. Anonymous questionnaire was the tool of data collection that contained behavioral, socio-demographic and PMT scale sections. Data were collected through enumerators. The study found that threat appraisal was s...

Predictors of intention to quit cigarette smoking among Chinese adults

Journal of Behavioral Health, 2012

Background: Cigarette smoking is the highest ranked preventable cause of morbidity and mortality with a significant economic burden in China. The objectives of this study were to examine predictors of intention to quit smoking as well as predictors of previous attempts to quit smoking among a sample of Chinese adult smokers (n=351). Methods: A survey-based study was conducted by using a convenience sample of adults aged 18 years or older in China. Individuals who smoked at least one cigarette in the past 30 days were defined as smokers and considered as the study cohort. Multivariate logistic regression models were constructed to determine predictors of intention to quit smoking and previous attempts to quit smoking for three outcomes: intend to quit smoking in the next year vs. not, intend to quit smoking in the next 30 days vs. not, and previous attempts to quit smoking vs. not. All statistical analyses were conducted using SAS version 9.2 statistical package. Results: Majority of smokers reported attempts to quit smoking at least once in the past (60.4%). Nearly half of the smokers indicated an intention to quit smoking in the next year (46.4%), and 31.3% in the next 30 days. Significant predictors of intention to quit cigarette smoking included age, gender, peer pressure, duration of past attempt, sibling's and close friend's tobacco use, inhalation when smoking, and addictive level. Predictors of previous attempts to quit smoking included duration of past attempt. Conclusions: Findings suggest a high level of a previous quit attempt among smokers and somewhat high rate of intention to quit smoking in the future, underscoring the urgent need to develop effective interventions. Predictors associated with intention to quit smoking and previous attempts to quit smoking among Chinese adult smokers found in this study should be considered when designing interventions.

Determinants of intention to quit: Confirmation and extension of western theories in male chinese smokers

Psychology & Health, 2005

Constructs from the Health Beliefs Model and Social Cognitive theory were used to predict intentions to quit in three disparate sub-samples (medical workers, teachers and factory workers) of male Chinese smokers (n ¼ 631). The intention to quit smoking was directly predicted by the importance the smoker places in quitting (change incentive) and their self-efficacy (accounting for 74% of the variance). Self-efficacy, in turn, was predicted by perceived barriers and by change incentive. Change incentive was predicted by self-efficacy, outcome expectancy and importance of benefits of quitting (outcome incentive). Health belief model variables susceptibility and severity were predictors of both outcome expectancy and outcome incentive. The results were largely replicated with each of the three sub-samples. We conclude that these models of health behaviour apply to Chinese smokers, with constructs from the Social Cognitive theory being primary.

Modification of a smoking motivation questionnaire for Chinese medical students

Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP, 2014

Smoking prevalence among the medical students is high in China. Therefore, understanding the smoking motivations of medical students is crucial for smoking control, but currently there are no scales questionnaires customized for probing the smoking motivations of medical students. This aim of study was to test and modify a questionnaire for investigating smoking motivations among medical students. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1,125 medical students at Xuzhou Medical College in China in 2012.The model fit and validity was assessed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and the reliability was tested by single-item reliability, composite reliability, and item-total correlation. The prevalence of smoking was 9.84 % among study population. In the modified scales, the global fit indices identified a CFI value of 0.96, TLI was 0.96, and the RMSEA was 0.063. CFA supported the two dimensional structure of the instrument. The average variance extracted ranged from 0.45 to 0.62...