Smoking and adolescence: narratives of identity

Res Nurs Health. 2003 Oct;26(5):387-97. doi: 10.1002/nur.10102.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to understand the identities that youth hold in relation to smoking, as revealed in narrative accounts of their smoking experiences. The analysis was a narrative inquiry, a qualitative approach based on the propensity of people to narrate or tell stories about the experiences in their daily lives. A purposeful sample of 35 youths ages 14-18 years with a variety of smoking histories (all had tried smoking) participated in in-depth interviews. A detailed analysis of the transcripts revealed the key identities communicated by the youths including the confident nonsmoker, the vulnerable nonsmoker, the ardent nonsmoker, the accepting nonsmoker, the in-control smoker, the confirmed smoker, and the contrite smoker. Tobacco control interventions for youth must be designed to respond to and incorporate multiple smoking identities.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Psychological
  • Adolescent
  • Adolescent Behavior / psychology*
  • Attitude to Health
  • Female
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
  • Humans
  • Internal-External Control
  • Male
  • Narration*
  • Nursing Methodology Research
  • Peer Group
  • Psychology, Adolescent*
  • Qualitative Research
  • Self Concept*
  • Semantics
  • Smoking / psychology*
  • Social Identification
  • Stereotyping
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Urban Population