Role of Beliefs in Predicting Smoking Behaviour: a Study of Comparative Optimism in Cameroonian Adolescents
Keywords:
Comparative optimism, intention, smoking, beliefs, planned behavior
Abstract
The objective of this study was to examine the influence of comparative optimism on the intention to use tobacco among 244 Cameroonian adolescent students. The sample consisted of girls (n=110) and boys (n=134) aged between 14 and 25 in secondary school. Participants were selected using a purposive sampling technique. The study relied primarily on the theory of planned behaviour to highlight the mechanisms that link beliefs to behavioural intentions. Data were collected from a self-administered composite questionnaire consisting of the comparative optimism scale and the risk-taking scale measuring intention to use tobacco inspired by the theory of planned behaviour. The results obtained after correlation analysis and regression showed that the illusion of vulnerability elicits the intention to use tobacco through attitude (r= -.141, p<0.05), descriptive norms (r=.204, p<0.01), and injunctive norms (r=.132, p<0.05). In addition, the illusion of vulnerability also appears as a predictor of the intention to use tobacco. These results confirm the harmful nature of overly optimistic beliefs about protective behaviours. The implications of the optimism bias for perceived vulnerability are discussed in the light of reference theories and from previous work on the effect of optimistic beliefs on protective behaviour.
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References
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23. Milhabet, I. (2010). L’optimisme comparatif : petits arrangements avec nos jugements sur l’avenir. Presses Universitaires de Grenoble.
24. Mohammadpoorasl A, Nedjat S, Yazdani K, Fakhari A, Foroushani AR, Fotouhi A. (2012). Intention to start smoking and its related factors in never smoked adolescents in Tabriz, 2010. International Journal of Preventive Medecine, 3, 880-6.
25. Morrell, H. E. R., Lapsley, D. & Halpern-Felsher, B. (2015). Subjective invulnerability and perception of tobacco-related benefits predict adolescent smoking behavior. The Journal of Early Adolescence, 36 (5), 679-703.
26. Mvessomba, E. A., Ngah Essomba, H. C. & Vigto, P. C. (2017). La prise de risque routier au Cameroun. L’Harmattan.
27. Morisset, N., Terrade, F., & Somat, A. (2010). Perceived self-efficacy and risky driving behaviors. The mediating role of subjective risk judgment. Swiss Journal of Psychology, 69(4), 233-238.
28. Nguetsa, R. (2012). Croyances et comportements de sécurité des usagers et agents du trafic routier : une étude des perceptions et de l’explication naïve des accidents de la route au Cameroun. [Thèse de doctorat, Université de Grenoble].
29. Nguetsa, R. & Kouabénan, D. R. (2014). “Mes ancêtres et Dieu me protègent, je peux pendre des risques”: effets des croyances de contrôle socio-instrumentales sur les comportements de sécurité routière. In R. Ngueutsa, R. Mokounkolo, N. Achi, & A. Belhaj (Eds.), Psychologie du travail et développement des pays du sud (pp. 241-254). L’Harmattan.
30. Organisation Mondiale de la Santé. (2018). Tabac : l’action de l’OMS. Swaziland. http://www.who.int
31. Popova, L., & Halpern-Felsher, B. L. (2016). A longitudinal study of adolescents’ optimistic bias about risks and benefits of cigarette smoking. American Journal of Health Behavior, 40 (3), 341–351.
32. Roman, L. A. P., Pérez, C. C. J., Penillos, G. F. (2014). Sensation seeking and habits of smoking, alcohol consumption and sport practice in secondary school students. Salud Mental, 37, 145-152.
33. Sharot, T. Korn, W. C., & Dolan, R. J. (2011). How unrealistic optimism is maintained in face to the reality. Nature Neuroscience. 4 (11), 1475-1479.
34. Shepperd, J. A., Carroll, P., Grace, J., & Terry, M. (2002) Exploring the causes of comparative optimism. Psychologica Belgica, 42, 65-98.
35. Spillane, N. S., Muller, C. J., Noonan, C., Goins, R. T., Mitchell, C. M., Manson, S. (2012). Sensation seeking predicts initiation of daily smoking behavior among American Indian high school students. Addiction Behavior, 37 (12), 1-10.
36. Taylor, S.E. & Brown, J. D. (1988). Illusion and well-being: A social psychological perspective on mental health. Psychological Bulletin, 103, 193-210.
37. Taylor, Z. E., Widaman, K. F., Robins, R. W., Jochem, R., Early, D. R. & Conger, R. D. (2012). Dispositional optimism: a psychological resource for Mexican-origin mothers experiencing economic stress. Journal of Family Psychology, 26(1), 133-139.
38. Weinstein, N. D. (1980). Unrealistic optimism about future life events. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 39, 806–820.
39. Weinstein, N. D. (1989). Perceptions of personal suceptibility to harm. In V. M. Mays, G. W. Albee, & S. F. Schneider (Eds.), Primary prevention of AIDS: Psychological approaches (pp. 142-167). Sage Publications.
40. Weinstein, N. D., Rothman, A. J., & Nicolich, M. (1998). Use of correlational data to examine the effects of risk perceptions on precautionary behavior. Psychology and Health, 13 (3), 479-501.
41. World Health Organization. (2017). Report on the global tobacco epidemic, Country profile-Cameroon. Swaziland. http://www.who.int/cmr
42. Organisation Mondiale de la Santé. (2018). Tabac : l’action de l’OMS. Swaziland.
2. Ajzen, I. (2012). The theory of planned behavior. In P. A. M. Lange, A. W. Kruglanski & Higgins (Eds.), Hanbook of theories of social psychology (pp. 438-459). London, UK: Sage.
3. Ericksen, M. P., Mackay, J., Schluger, N., Islami, F., Drope, J. M. (2015). The Tobacco Atlas (Fith edition). Atlanta: American Cancer Society and Vital Strategies.
4. Drope, J. M., Schluger, N., Cahn, Z., Drope, J., Hamil, S., Islami, F., Liber, A., Nargis, N., & Stoklosa, M. (2018). The Tobacco Atlas (Sixth edition). Atlanta: American Cancer Society and Vital Strategies.
5. Ariffin, A. A. (2016). Association between self-esteem and smoking among religious schools students in Petaling District, Selangor. International Medical Journal Malaysia, 15 (1), 1-10.
6. Arnett, J. J. (2000). Optimistic bias in adolescent and adult smokers and nonsmokers. Addictive Behaviors, 25 (4), 625–632.
7. Blecher, E. H. & Ross, H. (2015). Tobacco use in Africa: Tobacco control through prevention. Atlanta: American Cancer Society and Vital Strategies.
8. Borreli, B., Hayes, B. R., Dunsiger, S., & Fava, L. J. (2016). Risk perception and smoking behavior in medically III smokers: A prospective study. Addiction, 105 (6), 1100-1108.
9. Burger, J. M., & Burns, L. (1988). The illusion of unique invulnerability and the use of effective contraception. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. 14. 264-270.
10. Champion, V. L., & Skinner, C. S. (2008). The Health Belief Model. In K. Glanz, B. K. Rimer, K. viswanath, (Eds.) Health behavior and health education theory, research, and practice. San Francisco, CA : John Wiley & Sons.
11. Dillard, A., Midboe, A., & Klein, W.M.P. (2009). The Dark Side of Optimism: Unrealistic optimism about problems with alcohol predicts subsequent negative event experiences. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 35 (11), 1540-1550.
12. Ganley, J. B., & Rosario, I. D. (2013). The smoking attitudes, knowledge, intent, and behaviors of adolescents and young adults: implications for nursing practice. Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 3 (1), 1-11.
13. Institut National de la statistique & Ministère de la Santé Publique. (2013). Enquête mondiale sur le tabagisme chez les adultes. Cameroun. http://stat.cm/cmr.pdf
14. Plante, E. (2012). L’évaluation du risque comme facteur influençant les opinions et comportements en lien avec le tabac et le cannabis [Mémoire, Université de Montréal]. https://core.ac.uk.pdf
15. Khosravi, A., Mohammadpoorasl, A., Halakouie-Naieni, K., Mahmoodi, M., Pouyan, A. A., Mansoumia, M. A. (2016). Causal effect of self-esteem on smoking stages in adolescents: croarsened exact matching in a longitudinal study. Osong Public Health Res. Perspect, 7 (6), 341-345.
16. Kouabenan, D. R. (2007). Incertitude, croyances et management de la sécurité. Le Travail Humain, 70 (3), 271- 287.
17. Kouabénan, D. R., Cadet, B., Hermand, D. & Muñoz, M.T. (2007) « Chapitre 7. L'optimisme comparatif comme biais dans la perception des risques : illusion ou réalisme ? », In D. R. Kouabenan, B., Cadet, D. Hermand, & M.T. Muñoz (Eds.), Psychologie du risque (p. 91-99). De Boeck Supérieur.
18. Kpozehouen, A., Ahanhanzo, Y. G., Paraïso, M. N., Munezero, F., Saizonou, J. Z., Moukoutodé, M., & Ouedraogo (2015). Facteurs associés à l’usage des substances psychoactives chez les adolescents au Benin. Santé Publique, 27, 871-880.
19. Krzeminski, A. (2015). La dimension compétitive de l'optimisme comparatif : Une contribution expérimentale à l'étude de l'impact de la compétition sur la perception auto-avantageuse de l'avenir [Thèse de Doctorat, Université Nice Sophia Antipolis]. Archives ouvertes. http://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr.pdf
20. Masiero, M., Lucchiari, C., & Pravettoni, G. (2015). Personal Fable: Optimistic Bias in Cigarette Smokers. International Jounal of High Risk Behavior and Addiction, 4, 1-7.
21. Masiero, M., Renzi, C., & Pravettoni, G (2017). The smoking mind: A psycho-cognitive perspective. Contributions to Tobacco Research, 27, 33-41. DOI: 10.1515/cttr-2017-0004
22. Milhabet, I., Desrichard, O., & Verlhiac, J-F. (2002). Comparaison sociale et perception des risques : l'optimisme comparatif. In Beauvois, J-L, Joulé, R-V. & Monteil, J-M. (Eds). Perspectives cognitives et conduites sociales, tome 8 (pp. 215-245). Presses universitaires de Rennes.
23. Milhabet, I. (2010). L’optimisme comparatif : petits arrangements avec nos jugements sur l’avenir. Presses Universitaires de Grenoble.
24. Mohammadpoorasl A, Nedjat S, Yazdani K, Fakhari A, Foroushani AR, Fotouhi A. (2012). Intention to start smoking and its related factors in never smoked adolescents in Tabriz, 2010. International Journal of Preventive Medecine, 3, 880-6.
25. Morrell, H. E. R., Lapsley, D. & Halpern-Felsher, B. (2015). Subjective invulnerability and perception of tobacco-related benefits predict adolescent smoking behavior. The Journal of Early Adolescence, 36 (5), 679-703.
26. Mvessomba, E. A., Ngah Essomba, H. C. & Vigto, P. C. (2017). La prise de risque routier au Cameroun. L’Harmattan.
27. Morisset, N., Terrade, F., & Somat, A. (2010). Perceived self-efficacy and risky driving behaviors. The mediating role of subjective risk judgment. Swiss Journal of Psychology, 69(4), 233-238.
28. Nguetsa, R. (2012). Croyances et comportements de sécurité des usagers et agents du trafic routier : une étude des perceptions et de l’explication naïve des accidents de la route au Cameroun. [Thèse de doctorat, Université de Grenoble].
29. Nguetsa, R. & Kouabénan, D. R. (2014). “Mes ancêtres et Dieu me protègent, je peux pendre des risques”: effets des croyances de contrôle socio-instrumentales sur les comportements de sécurité routière. In R. Ngueutsa, R. Mokounkolo, N. Achi, & A. Belhaj (Eds.), Psychologie du travail et développement des pays du sud (pp. 241-254). L’Harmattan.
30. Organisation Mondiale de la Santé. (2018). Tabac : l’action de l’OMS. Swaziland. http://www.who.int
31. Popova, L., & Halpern-Felsher, B. L. (2016). A longitudinal study of adolescents’ optimistic bias about risks and benefits of cigarette smoking. American Journal of Health Behavior, 40 (3), 341–351.
32. Roman, L. A. P., Pérez, C. C. J., Penillos, G. F. (2014). Sensation seeking and habits of smoking, alcohol consumption and sport practice in secondary school students. Salud Mental, 37, 145-152.
33. Sharot, T. Korn, W. C., & Dolan, R. J. (2011). How unrealistic optimism is maintained in face to the reality. Nature Neuroscience. 4 (11), 1475-1479.
34. Shepperd, J. A., Carroll, P., Grace, J., & Terry, M. (2002) Exploring the causes of comparative optimism. Psychologica Belgica, 42, 65-98.
35. Spillane, N. S., Muller, C. J., Noonan, C., Goins, R. T., Mitchell, C. M., Manson, S. (2012). Sensation seeking predicts initiation of daily smoking behavior among American Indian high school students. Addiction Behavior, 37 (12), 1-10.
36. Taylor, S.E. & Brown, J. D. (1988). Illusion and well-being: A social psychological perspective on mental health. Psychological Bulletin, 103, 193-210.
37. Taylor, Z. E., Widaman, K. F., Robins, R. W., Jochem, R., Early, D. R. & Conger, R. D. (2012). Dispositional optimism: a psychological resource for Mexican-origin mothers experiencing economic stress. Journal of Family Psychology, 26(1), 133-139.
38. Weinstein, N. D. (1980). Unrealistic optimism about future life events. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 39, 806–820.
39. Weinstein, N. D. (1989). Perceptions of personal suceptibility to harm. In V. M. Mays, G. W. Albee, & S. F. Schneider (Eds.), Primary prevention of AIDS: Psychological approaches (pp. 142-167). Sage Publications.
40. Weinstein, N. D., Rothman, A. J., & Nicolich, M. (1998). Use of correlational data to examine the effects of risk perceptions on precautionary behavior. Psychology and Health, 13 (3), 479-501.
41. World Health Organization. (2017). Report on the global tobacco epidemic, Country profile-Cameroon. Swaziland. http://www.who.int/cmr
42. Organisation Mondiale de la Santé. (2018). Tabac : l’action de l’OMS. Swaziland.
Published
2022-08-31
How to Cite
Bala, F. E., Mvessomba, E. A., & Ngah Essomba, H. C. (2022). Role of Beliefs in Predicting Smoking Behaviour: a Study of Comparative Optimism in Cameroonian Adolescents. European Scientific Journal, ESJ, 18(26), 70. https://doi.org/10.19044/esj.2022.v18n26p70
Section
ESJ Humanities
Copyright (c) 2022 Fabrice Etoundi Bala, Edouard Adrien Mvessomba, Helene Chantal Ngah Essomba
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
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