Determinants of smoking status of Black urban adolescents

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between locus of control orientation and adoption of cigarette smoking among ninth grade urban black Southern students. It sought to identify this relationship and determine if school-setting (junior or senior high school) or gender-related differences exist. The following information was used to assess student characteristics: (1) demographic questionnaire data; (2) self-report behavioral data regarding exposure to and experimental usage of cigarettes as well as current smoking patterns, and parental and peer use of cigarettes; and (3) measures of each student's Internal, Powerful Others, and Chance expectations of control, using Levenson's multidimensional inventory of locus of control. The analysis revealed a significant main effect for school setting: a higher proportion of senior high students than junior high students reported never having tried cigarettes; more junior high students than senior high students reported having tried cigarettes once or twice. Internal classification was also found to be significantly related to the students' smoking status: students classified as High on the Internal scale were more likely to be triers or smokers. No significant main effects were found for gender, Powerful Others, or Chance; there were no significant interaction effects. Discriminant analyses were conducted to identify students at risk for smoking. Three tables are included. (JS) *********************************************************************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. * *********************************************************************k*