Smoking behavior and symptoms of depression and anxiety among young adult backpackers

Results from a short longitudinal study

Datos Bibliográficos

ID21392072
AutoresOsnat C Melamed (0000-0002-9663-2226, Department of Family and Community Medicine University of Toronto Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Toronto ON Canada, autor de correspondencia), Sophie D Walsh (0000-0002-4775-1624, Department of Criminology Bar Ilan University Ramat Gan Israel), Shmuel Shulman (0000-0001-7853-8247, Department of Psychology Bar Ilan University Ramat Gan Israel)
Año2021
Volumen62
Número2
Páginas211-216
Fecha de publicación2021-04-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaScandinavian Journal of Psychology (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0036-5564 • E-ISSN: 1467-9450
EditorialWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/sjop.12699
PMID33270916
OpenAlexW3109654565
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas2
Referencias citadas30

Levels of smoking and smoking initiation have been found to increase during the transition to adulthood. Symptoms of depression and anxiety may both precede or follow smoking behavior, yet there is equivocal evidence regarding the direction of this relationship. The aim of the current study was to examine the direction of this relationship in a group of young adult backpackers who traveled to social environments which are permissive of smoking. The current study involved a quasi‐experimental design examining 199 (52% men, mean age 24.27, SD = 1.05 years at time 1) young adults, before, during and following a backpacking experience of at least six months. Regression analyses was used to examine the association between smoking and symptoms of depression and anxiety over time. Relative to smoking levels before the journey, a significant transient increase in smoking was found during the journey. The increase in smoking during the journey predicted increases in both depressive and anxiety symptoms following the journey. The reverse direction models were not significant. Our study suggests that social contexts which are permissive of smoking, such as backpacking, increase young adult smoking behavior. Mood symptoms did not contribute to the observed increase in smoking behavior but, inversely, increases in smoking contributed to heightened mood symptoms. Additional longitudinal studies are needed to explore the role that smoking behavior plays in young adults’ mental health

Anxiety · Depression (economics) · Developmental psychology · Longitudinal study · Mental health · Mood · Permissive · Psychiatry · Young adult · Air Quality and Health Impacts · Behavioral Health and Interventions · Clinical Psychology · Demography · Medicine · Psychology · Smoking Behavior and Cessation