
The theory of planned behavior identifies important proximal determinants of behavior, including attitude toward the behavior, perception of subjective norms exerted by significant others, and perception of perceived control over performance of the behavior. Because research in the planned behavior tradition has focused on desirable target behaviors, it is not clear how these determinants can best be conceptualized to account for adolescents' acquisition of health risk behaviors such as smoking. This cross-sectional study compared the explanatory power of planned behavior constructs assessed in relation to “smoking” and “not smoking” in a sample of 248 Dutch secondary students (aged 12 to 17 years; 56% girls). The results indicated that four variables—attitude toward smoking, perceived subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control over both smoking and not smoking—best explained the adolescents' smoking intentions and smoking behavior. Methodological and practical implications for smoking interventions are discussed.
Male, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, PLANNED BEHAVIOR, Adolescent, Culture, Friends, Smoking Prevention, Intention, smoking, Social Facilitation, Social Conformity, Humans, adolescents, PREDICTORS, Child, Netherlands, ACQUISITION, Smoking, Awareness, EFFICACY, Health Surveys, Cross-Sectional Studies, REASONED ACTION, ONSET, Female, measurement, CIGARETTE-SMOKING, CESSATION
Male, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, PLANNED BEHAVIOR, Adolescent, Culture, Friends, Smoking Prevention, Intention, smoking, Social Facilitation, Social Conformity, Humans, adolescents, PREDICTORS, Child, Netherlands, ACQUISITION, Smoking, Awareness, EFFICACY, Health Surveys, Cross-Sectional Studies, REASONED ACTION, ONSET, Female, measurement, CIGARETTE-SMOKING, CESSATION
| citations This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 20 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Top 10% | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Average |
