Assessments of the Home Environment and Early Adolescents' Intentions to Smoke Cigarettes

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between the home environment and early adolescents' intentions to smoke cigarettes. Data were obtained from 177 middle school students and one parent of each early adolescent. Variables included in the analyses were the parents' assessments of the dimensions of the home environment, the adolescents' perceptions of their relations with their parents, commitment to school, and associations with friends who smoke. Multiple regression analyses indicated that adolescents who were less committed to school and whose family environments were characterized by change and a weak emphasis on educational pursuits were more likely to have had friends who smoked and intended to use cigarettes themselves. The significance of the results is discussed in terms of the utility of using data both from parents and adolescents.