Differences in Peer Norm Perceptions Before and After E-Cigarette Initiation Among Youth and Young Adults

Bibliographic Data

ID21646263
AuthorsLinda Q Yu (0000-0002-4658-9100, Schroeder Institute, Truth Initiative, corresponding author), Alexander P D’Esterre (0000-0002-5722-6719, Schroeder Institute, Truth Initiative), Kristiann Koris (0009-0003-5451-1789, Schroeder Institute, Truth Initiative), Michael Liu (0000-0003-2724-8797, Schroeder Institute, Truth Initiative), Elizabeth C Hair (0000-0003-0536-2409, Schroeder Institute, Truth Initiative)
Year2026
Pages1-9
Publication date2026-03-30
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueSubstance Use & Misuse (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1082-6084 • E-ISSN: 1532-2491
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/10826084.2026.2649450
PMID41906687
OpenAlexW7143460047
LanguageEN
References cited34

BACKGROUND: We aim to elucidate differences in peer norm perceptions before and after e-cigarette initiation among young people over time. METHODS: We used data from initially e-cigarette naïve participants in the Truth Longitudinal Survey (TLC), a nationally representative longitudinal dataset of youth and young adults spanning Fall/Winter 2020 and Fall/Winter 2022. We used repeated measures mixed effects models to examine changes in reported perceived peer norm and susceptibility measures of e-cigarette use (acceptance for social e-cigarette use, likelihood of accepting an e-cigarette from a friend, perceived friend disapproval of e-cigarette use, perceived number of close friends using e-cigarettes, and estimated proportion of peer e-cigarette use). RESULTS: We find that participants who initiated e-cigarette use by the second wave were already more likely to report perceptions of higher peer e-cigarette acceptance for most of the measures at baseline, compared to participants who did not initiate. However, the increase in these perceived peer acceptance measures from the baseline wave to the second wave is significantly greater for initiators. Notably, the estimated proportion of the perceived peer e-cigarette use measure did not differ between groups at baseline, and non-initiators had decreased in their peer use estimates by the second wave relative to initiators. CONCLUSIONS: We find that young people who would go on to initiate e-cigarette use already had elevated perceptions of peer acceptance of e-cigarettes at baseline, but these effects are amplified after initiation

Peer group · Peer influence · Perception · Social norms approach · Young adult · Behavioral Health and Interventions · Smoking Behavior and Cessation · Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes

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