Contextual and subjective antecedents of smoking in a college student sample

Abstract

Introduction: College is a time when individuals are at risk for initiating or increasing their smoking behavior. Little is known, however, about the contexts in which college students smoke. Identifying antecedents to smoking would provide insights into motivation and stimulus control of smoking in this population. Method: In a sample of 50 college student smokers, situational, behavioral, and subjective state variables were compared between prompted interviews (N = 2,095) and participant-initiated smoking interviews (N = 865) using electronic handheld diaries. Results: The strongest predictors of smoking were recently inhabiting an outside location (odds ratio [OR] = 4.19, p < .001), the presence of others smoking (OR = 3.93, p < .001). Discussion: These results suggest that smoking among college students is largely opportunistic, craving is important and may develop early in the progression of smoking, and stimulus control may erode with greater smoking experience. © The Author 2010. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved.