Social Goals Moderate the Relation Between Friend Use and Approval and Adolescent Intentions to Initiate Substance Use

• In Event: Poster Session 10
  In Poster Session: PS 10 Topic - Social Relationships

Abstract

Introduction: While tobacco cigarette use has declined among adolescents, smoking continues to be a major health concern and the popularity of electronic (e-)cigarette use is alarming (CDC, 2018). Understanding risk factors for cigarette and e-cigarette initiation is critical for prevention programming. Given friends have a strong impact on adolescent behavior (Loke & Mak, 2013), friend approval/use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes may represent one such risk factor. Social goals may also influence sensitivity to peers and include both agentic aspects, characterized by the desire for dominance and influence, and communal aspects, characterized by the desire for belongingness within one’s social group (Locke, 2015; Trucco et al., 2011). Current Study: The current study examined agentic and communal social goals as moderators in the association between friend approval/use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes and on future intentions to use cigarettes and e-cigarettes. Hypotheses: The association between peer approval/use of combustible cigarettes and future combustible cigarette use intentions will be strongest among youth high in agency. The association between peer approval/use of e-cigarettes and future e-cigarette use intentions will be strongest among youth high in communion. Methods: Participants (N = 173; M = 14.89, SD = 4.28) were 52% female, 84.4% White, 81.5% Hispanic/Latinx, and endorsed no lifetime use of combustible cigarettes or e-cigarettes. Items adapted from the Monitoring the Future Study (2019) reflected perceived approval and use of combustible cigarettes and e-cigarettes by friends. Communal and agentic social goals were assessed utilizing the Interpersonal Goals Inventory for Children - Revised (IGI-CR; Trucco et al., 2011). Items adapted from the Population Assessment of Tobacco Health (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2016) assessed future substance use intentions in five years. Data Analytic: Four moderation models examined each of the two social goals and friend approval/use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes using PROCESS in SAS. Results: Agentic goals moderated the association between friend approval/use of cigarettes and future cigarette use intentions (b = .06, p < .001). The simple slopes indicate a cross-over interaction whereby the slope of friend approval/use of cigarettes was significant at high levels, non-significant at mean levels, and significant at low levels of agentic goals (Figure 1). In contrast, communal goals were found to moderate the association between friend approval/use of e-cigarettes and future e-cigarette use intentions (b = .12, p < .001). The simple slope of friend approval/use of e-cigarettes was significant only at high levels of communal goals (Figure 2). Discussion: Differing levels of social goals may uniquely influence future cigarette and e-cigarette use intentions. Youth high in agency may view tobacco cigarette use as rebellious, thus furthering their goal of being respected among peers. Conversely, youth low in agency may view tobacco cigarette use as a high-risk behavior, drawing unwanted attention from higher status peers. The association between communal goals and e-cigarettes suggests that adolescents high in communion may characteristically embrace the substance use attitudes currently normed in adolescent society. Findings may inform prevention programming aimed at refocusing social goal-based values away from tobacco cigarette and e-cigarette use.

Authors

• Maria Zapata, Florida International University
  Presenting Author

• Sarah Anne Hartmann, Florida International University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Matthew T Sutherland, Florida International University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Elisa Trucco, Florida International University
  Non-Presenting Author