Participation in electronic cigarette-related social media communities: Effects on attitudes toward quitting, self-efficacy, and intention to quit

Abstract

This study examined the effects of joining and actively participating in electronic-cigarette-related social media communities (SMCs), along with e-cigarette-related subjective norms, and social identification with other electronic-cigarette (e-cigarette) users, on current e-cigarette users’ attitudes toward quitting, self-efficacy, and intention to quit. Results (n = 1016) indicated that greater e-cigarette-related social media use, more positive e-cigarette-related subjective norms and greater identification with other e-cigarette users, resulted in significantly more negative attitudes toward quitting, lower self-efficacy and lower intention to quit. E-cigarette-related social media use also interacted with subjective norms to influence intention to quit, and with identification with other e-cigarette users to influence self-efficacy.

Keywords:

• electronic cigarettes
• self-efficacy
• social identity
• social media
• subjective norms