Self-initiated smoking cessation among high school students.

The purpose of this study was to examine psychosocial predictors of self-initiated smoking cessation among high school students. Students from nine high schools were pretested using a questionnaire which assessed smoking behavior, beliefs about positive and negative consequences of smoking, moral attitudes toward smoking, normative expectations about smoking, rebelliousness, peer smoking and parent smoking. Smokers identified at pretest were reexamined three months and fifteen months later. Three variables, moral attitudes, peer smoking and positive beliefs about smoking significantly discriminated continuing smokers from quitters at the three-month posttest. Three different variables, negative beliefs about smoking, parental smoking and rebelliousness significantly discriminated between those who quit and later relapsed and those who quit and maintained their non-smoking status at the 15 month posttest. Smoking characteristics at pretest failed to discriminate either those who would quit or those who would maintain their non-smoking status. Results support the development of public information programs which encourage early cessation of smoking which feature the development of appropriate attitudes and beliefs and which foster social support.