Effects of Family Functioning and Self-Image on Adolescent Smoking Initiation among Asian-American Subgroups

• Published in: Journal of adolescent health 2006-08, Vol.39 (2), p.221-228
• Main Authors: Weiss, Jie W., Garbanati, James A., Tanjasiri, Sora P., Xie, Bin, Palmer, Paula H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Addictive behaviors; Adolescent; Adolescent Behavior; Adolescent smoking; Adolescents; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Asian American people; Asian Americans; Asian Americans - psychology; Asian-American subgroups; Biological and medical sciences; Ethnic differences; Family functioning; Family Life; Family Relations; Female; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Prevalence; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Self Concept; Self-image; Selfimage; Smoking; Smoking - epidemiology; Smoking - psychology; Tobacco smoking; Tobacco, tobacco smoking; Toxicology
• ISSN: 1054-139X; 1879-1972
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2005.12.005

This study examined differences in smoking prevalence and differences in associations between family functioning, self-image and adolescent smoking behavior among four Asian-American subgroups. Statistical analyses were conducted on responses about their smoking behaviors from 1139 students who self-identified as Chinese-Americans, Filipino-Americans, Korean-Americans, and Vietnamese-Americans. Significant differences in the prevalence of ever-tried smoking and 30-day smoking were found across subgroups, but there were no overall gender differences. Korean-American adolescents reported the highest lifetime smoking and 30-day smoking rates, followed by Vietnamese- and Filipino-Americans. Chinese-Americans reported the lowest smoking rates. There were also differences in the associations between smoking and family functioning and self-image across the four subgroups. High family functioning was inversely associated with smoking for Chinese- and Korean-American adolescents, but not for Filipino- and Vietnamese-Americans. On the other hand, high self-image was associated with decreased risk of smoking for Filipino- and Vietnamese-Americans, but not for the other two subgroups. Findings of this study demonstrate that family functioning and self-image varied across Asian-American subgroups. This suggests the need to understand etiological differences between the groups as well as potential implications for prevention cessation programs.