Publication year: 2011
Source: Addictive Behaviors, In Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available online 29 July 2011
Amy E., Brown , Matthew J., Carpenter , Erin L., Sutfin
Introduction: The majority of college students who smoke do so on an occasional basis and generally do not define themselves as smokers. This represents a considerable challenge for public health efforts to prevent escalation of use and to promote cessation. Strengthening such efforts will require further examination of the motivations behind occasional smoking within this vulnerable group. Methods: Based within a priori identified content areas, we conducted eight focus groups of occasional smokers (N=53) at two demographically diverse colleges in the southeastern U.S. Results: Few participants self-identified as a smoker and few had immediate desire to quit. Most identified extrinsic motivations for future quitting, including…
Highlights: ► We conducted focus groups of college students that occasionally smoke. ► Most participants did not identify as smokers. ► Participants minimized their own personal health risks of smoking. ► Participants engage in impression management of smoking in various social settings.