Effects Of Parent Smoking Habits On Thier

Childs Smoking Habits Essay, Research Paper

Effects of Parent Smoking Habits on their Child.s smoking habits

Abstract

Parents have an influence on whether or not their children will develop smoking

habits. The findings of this study show this to be true. Further research should be

conducted to find out whether or not how many children the parents have also has an

impact on smoking behaviors. The participants of this study were random individuals at a

local convenience store ranging in age from 18 to 47. The total number of participants

was 24. Of these twenty-four individuals thirteen were male and eleven were female.

Only sixteen of the participants smoked, eight being male and eight being female. The

eight non-smokers questioned all reported having parents who were non-smokers.

In the start of this research survey, I wanted to question high-school students at a

local area high school. When I went to conduct the research at the high school I was

informed that there is red tape involved when dealing with minors. In order to question

minors at this local high school the children would have had to have signed permission

slips from there parents, after they had the chance to read over the survey that would have

been filled out by their children. Having limited time to complete this research project I

decided that it would be in my best interests if I conducted the research elsewhere. I also

believe that having parents look at the survey might have compromised the answers that

would have been given by the children. Suffice to say the convenience store was my

second option in conducting this research. Although my second option did reveal relevant

findings, I believe that better answers to the adolescent smoking phenomenon would have

better been found in dealing directly with teenagers. Although more research is needed it

seems as if the smoking behaviors of parents has a direct impact on the smoking behaviors

of children.

Introduction

Smoking rates among youths in our country has steadily increased for years. The

health consequences of smoking have been known for years, yet people still start the hard

to break habit. My question is, Why. Previous studies have been conducted to answer

this question. Variables in these studies have included peer pressure, advertising, and

family smoking. It is the latter of the three that this research study plans to analyze. It is

said that we are a product of our environment, so this study hopes to prove that when a

parent or guardian smokes it increases the chances of their child or children of smoking.

This question has been asked before, and it has been found by Karen H. Smith and

Mary Ann Stutts that , at least for girls, having at least one parent who smokes is a good

predictor of whether or not that child will end up smoking. (Smith,1999).

Having a father who smokes increases boys chances of smoking by 1.5 times and for

girls by 3.3 times. (Research Quarterly, 2000).

Literature Review

Many studies have been done on the habits of adolescent smoking. Previously

examined in separate studies were peer pressure, family smoking, advertising and

antismoking information. Bandura.s smoking environment variables such as parental,

sibling, and peer smoking habits were more important for predicting smoking behavior in

adolescents.

In prior research the number one predictor of smoking in adolescence is having at

least one sibling who smokes. In college-aged students the number one predictors having

at least one parent who smokes. These studies proved that the immediate family has a

great influence on smoking habits.

There are also other factors involved in the decision of an adolescent to begin

smoking. Peer pressure is another concern. .Teens who associated with friends who

smoke and drink were more likely to do so..(Parents and peers influence smoking,

drinking, 2001)

Two types of peer pressure occur in these studies: direct pressure and normative

pressure. Direct pressure is when a friend or a peer asks or dares and adolescent to smoke.

Normative pressure is indirect pressure such as socializing with peers who smoke. (Smith,

1999). This type of pressure causes the adolescent to lessen the negative aspects of

smoking because they see someone they admire or look up to, smoking. College students

are not as influenced by peer pressure as are junior high and high school aged students.

These children are at an age where peer pressure is the greatest because it is truly when

they begin to socialize without parental guardianship. (Smith,1999).

One study that was particularly interesting, was the effects of restrictions on smoking

at home, at school, and in public places. This study concluded that restrictions made

smoking socially unacceptable and inconvenient. Banning smoking in the home, even

when the parents smoke sends an unmistakable message to teenagers

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