Relative Effects of Social Self-Control, Sensation Seeking, and Impulsivity on Future Cigarette Use in a Sample of High-Risk Adolescents

Abstract

We used confirmatory factor analysis to compare convergence/divergence across self-report measures of social self-control, sensation seeking, and impulsivity in a sample of high-risk adolescents. In addition, we tested baseline social self-control as a predictor of cigarette use one year later, controlling for baseline cigarette use, impulsivity/sensation seeking, and demographic variables. Data were collected in 2004–2005 from 821 adolescents (M age = 16.3; SD = 1.36) enrolled in 14 continuation high schools in Southern California. Of the baseline sample, 566 students participated in a follow-up survey one year later. Results indicated that social self-control represents a unique dimension of self-control and is a salient predictor of future cigarette use.

Keywords:

• Social self-control
• adolescents
• cigarette use

THE AUTHORS

Pallav Pokhrel, PhD, MPH, is an assistant professor at the Cancer Prevention and Control Program, University of Hawaii Cancer Center. He received his PhD in Preventive Medicine (Health Behavior Research) from Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California. His research focuses on understanding the risk and protective factors of tobacco and other substance use in the domains of culture and self-regulation. His research seeks to determine the aspects of self-regulation that can be modified to result in behavior change and utilize the knowledge to develop prevention and treatment strategies that are culturally relevant.

Steve Sussman, PhD, FAAHB, FAPA, received his doctorate in social-clinical psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 1984. He is a professor of preventive medicine and psychology at the University of Southern California. He studies etiology, prevention, and cessation within the addictions arena, broadly defined. He has over 420 publications. His programs include Project Towards No Tobacco Use, Project Towards No Drug Abuse, and Project EX, which are considered model programs at numerous agencies (i.e., CDC, NIDA, NCI, OJJDP, SAMSHA, CSAP, Colorado and Maryland Blueprints, Health Canada, U.S. DOE). He received the honors of Research Laureate for the American Academy of Health Behavior, and Fellow of the American Psychological Association (Division 50, Addictions). He is the current Editor of Evaluation & the Health Professions (SAGE Publications).

Alan Stacy (PhD, University of California, Riverside, 1986) is Professor at the School of Community and Global Health, Claremont Graduate University. Most of his current work applies findings from basic research on cognitive neuroscience and memory to health behavior theory and intervention, including research on alcohol, tobacco, methamphetamine, and other drug use, HIV risk behavior, and dietary habits. He also applies the approach to the study of media effects and collaborates on neural imaging studies on health habits.