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Similar to Independent Study: College Students' Attitudes Toward Cigarette Smoking
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Independent Study: College Students' Attitudes Toward Cigarette Smoking
- 1. College Students’ Attitudes Toward Cigarette Smoking: A Qualitative Analysis Casey Dene Lauser Ithaca College
- 2. What Do We Mean By “Smoking?” Who Is A “Smoker?” Smoking Behavior: The areas in which, and the frequency of, college students using tobacco cigarettes Attitude: Perception of smoking and of smokers; opinions on policy regarding cigarette smoking on college campuses; emotional, cognitive, and sensory factors related to the experience of being, or being around, cigarette smokers Habitual Smoker: Someone who smokes two or more cigarettes daily Occasional Smoker: Someone who mainly smokes socially/when drinking alcohol; does not smoke cigarettes alone Nonsmoker: May or may not have smoked cigarettes in the past, but does not currently smoke
- 3. Why Should We Care? 12.3% of Ithaca College students smoked cigarettes at least once a month in 2015 (Center for Health Promotion, Office of Counseling and Wellness, Ithaca College, 2015) -- That’s 833 IC students! 45 million individuals in the United States smoke cigarettes (CDC, 2009). That’s 7% of the American population! Children raised by parents/guardians who smoke are more likely to pick up the habit in early adulthood than children raised in non-smoking households (Okoli, C. T. C. & Kodet, J., 2015). Smoking and secondhand smoke are public health concerns as both positively correlate with higher rates of cancer, emphysema, asthma, and other illnesses (Terry, L., 1964).
- 4. Several Reasons Why Ithaca College Students May Smoke Cigarette smoking is a maladaptive coping mechanism for academic, financial, and social strains and stressors faced by many Ithaca College students (Agnew, R., 2014). Many Ithaca College students consume alcohol. This behavior is positively correlated with an increased likelihood of cigarette smoking (Johns, et al., 2013). Cigarette smoking can be an act of social bonding (Medrut, 2015), so Ithaca College students may be more likely to smoke cigarettes when they are with other students who smoke.
- 5. Concepts of Interest The relationship between being raised by parents/guardians who smoke and students’ attitudes toward that behavior The relationship between social reference groups in college and their influences on smoking attitudes The effects of academic stress on cigarette smoking behaviors The influence of personality and environment on these attitudes Personality: “The combination of characteristics or qualities that form an individual's distinctive character” (APA, 2012)
- 6. Current Research Structure: Sample and Sampling Strategy Participants were selected via a non-probability snowball sample of convenience. 17 Ithaca College students between the ages of 18 and 25 agreed to participate. All interviews were conducted throughout March of 2016 in public yet quiet spaces on the Ithaca College campus in Ithaca, New York. Two copies of an informed consent form were given to each participant before interviews were conducted: one to sign and return, and one to keep for their own records. Participants were assured that their responses were voluntary and confidential. Confidentiality was established by using pseudonyms instead of participants’ real names. No information was asked or given that could identify the participants. The sample included individuals of various genders, sexualities, racial and ethnic identities, religions, socioeconomic statuses, academic concentrations, and smoking/non-smoking habits.
- 7. Examples of Interview Questions Would you say that you’re a smoker? Why or why not? So, how would you describe a smoker? Is a person who smokes cigarettes, but not every day, a smoker? About how many smokers do you know, and about how many are Ithaca College students? How do you think parental upbringing affects a person’s smoking or non-smoking behaviors? Do you think academic stress is a factor that contributes to a student’s decision to smoke? Why? What are your opinions or feelings regarding people who smoke cigarettes on campus?
- 8. Significant Quotes “If you see your parents smoking, the more prone you are to smoke. And that’s just gonna bleed into your college life, ya know? I don’t wanna be around that. When I have kids, they’re not gonna smoke.” “My parents always smelled like cigarettes. So… I kind of love the smell. That’s probably why I smoke now. But only menthols?” “Parents should just let their kids make their own choices.”
- 9. Limitations and Suggestions for Future Research This study was limited in its small sample size (n = 17). There was only one researcher conducting the study in a very limited amount of time. Additionally, only Ithaca College students were interviewed as a sample of convenience, so the external validity of this study cannot be ascertained. Future researchers should make note to interview college students who attend many different institutions of higher learning, to increase their sample sizes, and to interview students across a longer period of time.