ATTITUDES OF ADULT WOMEN TO DRINKING AND SMOKING

Attitudes towards drinking and smoking were assessed in 766 women aged 20 to 30 years. This total sample generated two quasi-representative samples of 265 subjects each which matched each other and census data across a range of demographic variables. Attitudinal measures were analyzed in relation to criterion measures of status as drinker/smoker, and level of drinking/smoking. All measures showed promising psychometric properties and initial indications of validity. Results were consistent across samples, and basic drinking and smoking statistics were comparable- with previous research. The attitudinal measures related moderately to their criteria, apart from attitudes to smoking which were unrelated to level of smoking. For the remaining criteria, multiple correlations with relevant attitudinal predictors ranged from R = .46 to R = .56. The concept of dissonance amongst smokers was investigated, and comparisons were made across domains to establish a hierarchy of attitudes to drinking, smoking, and drunkenness.