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| Research article summary (published 30 May 2008): |
How do friends influence smoking uptake? Findings from qualitative interviews with identical twins.
Full Abstract
The smoking behavior of friends is a major risk factor for adolescent smoking uptake. To explore the social context of smoking experimentation and consolidation with a particular focus on friends, the authors interviewed both members of 14 young adult identical twin pairs who were discordant for smoking. The different smoking status of twins was connected to their different friendship groups and development of different identities. Smoking respondents gravitated to the behaviors and images of the peer group who smoked. Many nonsmokers felt strong pressure from their peers not to smoke and spoke about how the images conveyed by smoking were inconsistent with their peer group's image. Adolescents and young adults are aware of the messages that smoking can convey to others and exploit these images to construct a social identity.
Author information
Author/s: McLeod, Kim (K); White, Victoria (V); Mullins, Robyn (R); Davey, Claire (C); Wakefield, Melanie (M); Hill, David (D);
Affiliation: The Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, The Cancer Council Victoria, Carlton, Victoria 3053, Australia.
Journal and publication information
Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Twin Study
Journal: The Journal of genetic psychology (J Genet Psychol), published in United States. (Language: eng)
Reference: 2008-Jun; vol 169 (issue 2) : pp 117-31
Dates: Created 2008/06/26; Completed 2008/08/18;
PMID: 18578296, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )
Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.
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