Using the Prototype/Willingness model to predict smoking behaviour among Norwegian adolescents.

Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Department of Mental health, P.b. 4404 Nydalen, 0403 Oslo, Norway. silje.hukkelberg@fhi.no

This paper examines cognitive antecedents of non-smoking among adolescents who reported smoking less than 1-2 times a week, and reported non-smoking intentions and willingness, in the framework of the Prototype/Willingness model. Two waves of data were obtained from a nation-wide sample of 760 Norwegian adolescents who responded to a school-based survey on smoking. Structural equation modelling was used to evaluate the predictive power of the social reaction pathway (prototype and willingness) of the P/W model, and in addition, the constructs from the Theory of Reasoned Action (subjective norm, attitude and intention). Results demonstrated the unique importance of the social reaction path when examining smoking behaviour among non-smoking adolescents. Implications of the findings and possible applications are discussed.

PMID: 19095361 [PubMed - in process]