Smoking Outcome Expectancies in Chinese Young Adults

ABSTRACT

The aims of this study were to: 1) validate the factor structure of the short-form smoking consequences questionnaire (S-SCQ) in Chinese young adults; 2) assess measurement invariance of the S-SCQ across smokers and never-smokers; 3) examine factors of the S-SCQ in relation to smoking-related variables. Data from 1,540 respondents (757 smokers, 783 never-smokers) were collected anonymously via an online survey in June, 2021. All respondents completed the S-SCQ and other smoking-related items. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to validate the factor structure of S-SCQ. Measurement invariance of the S-SCQ was examined across smoking status. Relations between outcome expectancies and other smoking-related variables were further examined. CFA results supported the four-factor structure of the S-SCQ. Measurement invariance tests supported configural, metric, partial scalar, and strict invariance of the S-SCQ across smoking status. Never-smokers exposed to household SHS or intending to smoke had weight control and reinforcement expectancies. Smokers exposed to moderate household SHS or scored higher on the FTND had greater positive reinforcement expectancies. For never-smokers, household SHS exposure and future smoking intentions may be key constructs to target in smoking prevention efforts. For smokers, smoking-induced sensory satisfaction may be a key construct to transform in expectancy-based interventions.

KEYWORDS:

• Outcome expectancies
• smoking
• chinese
• young adults
• household secondhand smoke exposure
• nicotine dependence

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/02791072.2022.2101405

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by a grant from Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine [grant number 19X100040041, 2018–2021]. The funding body had no role in the design of the study, or the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data, or in the writing of the manuscrip; School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University.