Authors: Yarnell, Lisa M.¹; Brown III, H. Shelton²; Pasch, Keryn E.³; Perry, Cheryl L.⁴; Komro, Kelli A.⁵

Source: American Journal of Health Behavior, Volume 36, Number 1, January 2012 , pp. 12-19(8)

Publisher: PNG Publications

Abstract:

Objectives: To investigate whether smoking prevalence in grade-level networks influences individual smoking, suggesting that peers are important social multipliers in teen smoking. Methods: We measured gender-specific, grade-level recent and life-time smoking among urban middle-school students who participated in Project Northland Chicago in a longitudinal cohort design. Results: Within schools, grade-level recent smoking had comparable effects on girls' and boys' individual-level smoking. Grade-level lifetime smoking had a greater effect on girls' smoking. Conclusion: Interventions can target middle school classes and schools broadly, without making the identification of friendship networks a concern.

Keywords: SOCIAL NORMS; SMOKING; MIDDLE SCHOOL; GENDER

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5993/AJHB.36.1.2

Affiliations: 1: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 2: Associate Professor, University of Texas School of Public Health, Austin Regional Campus, Division of Management, Policy, and Community Health, University of Texas, Austin, TX;, Email: h.shelton.brown@uth.tmc.edu 3: Assistant Professor, Department of Kinesiology and Health Education, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 4: Professor and Regional Dean, University of Texas School of Public Health, Austin Regional Campus, Austin, TX 5: Professor, Department of Health Outcomes, & Policy and Institute for Child Health Policy, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

Publication date: 2012-01-01

More about this publication?

• The American Journal of Health Behavior seeks to improve the quality of life through multidisciplinary health efforts in fostering a better understanding of the multidimensional nature of both individuals and social systems as they relate to health behaviors.
  
  The Journal aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the impact of personal attributes, personality characteristics, behavior patterns, social structure, and processes on health maintenance, health restoration, and health improvement; to disseminate knowledge of holistic, multidisciplinary approaches to designing and implementing effective health programs; and to showcase health behavior analysis skills that have been proven to affect health improvement and recovery.
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