Psychological correlates of smoker’s identity in adults reporting mental health diagnoses

ABSTRACT

Objective: Smoking and tobacco use co-occur with mental health problems. We examined the relationships between smoker’s identity and positive factors in smokers with mental health problems. We also examined the associations between smoker’s identity and psychopathology.

Methods: We distributed an anonymous electronic survey to individuals participating in the National Alliance on Mental Illness e-mail list. Participants self-reported mental health diagnoses. Constructs assessed were meaning in life, purpose in life, self-efficacy, social support, smoker’s identity, depression, anxiety, stress, confidence in being able to quit tobacco, and concern that quitting tobacco would worsen mental health.

Results: Participants endorsing a perception that smoking was part of their identity reported decreased purpose in life and self-efficacy. Smoker’s identity was negatively and positively associated with confidence in quitting tobacco and concern that quitting could worsen mental health, respectively. Individuals who endorsed a smoker’s identity reported increased anxiety symptoms.

Conclusions: Our study shows a link between smoker’s identity and various positive and psychopathological factors in smokers reporting mental health diagnoses. Future research and treatment should consider transdiagnostic factors within the context of individuals with co-occurring smoking and mental health problems.

KEYWORDS:

• Tobacco
• mental health problems
• meaning
• purpose
• smoker’s identity

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge Drs. Teri Brister, Lauren Weathers, and David Fowler along with Mr. Rick Cagan and Ms. Lavina Ho for their assistance with various aspects of this study.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Data availability

Data will be made available upon reasonable request.