Personality Traits, Identity style and Depression as predictors of smoking behavior among university students

Abstract

Present work was aimed to find the contribution of personality traits, identity style and depression in predicting cigarette smoking. Data was collected from male students of universities located in Peshawar through Beck Depression Inventory – II (BDI – II), NEO-Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) and Identity Style Inventory, Revised (ISI3). A total of 300 male students were involved, out of which n=150 were smokers whereas n=150 were nonsmokers. Of the total n=150 smokers, 75 were hostelers 75 were day scholars and same as for non-smokers. The outcome indicated that those who smoked had high levels of neuroticism and they also scored high on the Beck Depression Inventory. The outcome further revealed that persons having diffused identity style had likelihood of being involved in smoking behavior. Further results exposed that the hostelers were more vulnerable to smoking behavior as compared to the day scholars.