Behavioral predictors of abstinence: early indicators of a dependence on tobacco among adolescents.

High-school-aged smokers were surveyed about recent attempts to give up cigarette smoking and about the nature of their smoking behavior, including the duration of the habit, frequency of use, and regularity of use. For smokers who had attempted to quit (72%), a stepwise multiple regression analysis was performed. Frequency of use and regularity of use were found to predict significantly the length of time subjects had been able to remain abstinent from cigarettes. The implications of these findings for the categorization and treatment of young smokers are discussed.