Tobacco Smoking as a Function of Intrapersonal Problems Among Adolescents

Abstract

The purpose of the present research was to explore tobacco smoking as a function of intrapersonal problems i.e. depression, self concept, anxiety, and anger among adolescents. This research attempted to study Tobacco smoking as a function of intrapersonal problems among adolescents. It was hypothesized that there would be a significant difference in smoking and non smoking adolescents regarding the level of intrapersonal problems. Firstly, between the levels of epression, secondly, between the levels of self concept, thirdly between the levels of anxiety and finally between the levels of anger among smoking and non smoking adolescents. The total number of male and female participants included 110 smoking adolescents and 110 non smoking adolescents of different English medium schools of Karachi. The age range of theparticipants was 15 to 18 years. The Beck Youth Inventories for Children and adolescents second edition by Aaron. T. Beck (2005) was administered on group basis. For statistical analysis of the data t-test was applied. The t-test was computed through SPSS (17.0) to find out the significance in the levels of intrapersonal problems (depression, self concept, anxiety and anger) between the smoking adolescents and non smoking adolescents. Tabular presentation and interpretation of the t-test results obtained mean differences of intrapersonal variables between smoking and non smoking groups of adolescents. The result provided significant support for the variables of intrapersonal problems: depression, anxiety and self concept whereas it provided nonsignificant support for one variable of intrapersonal problem: anger. The findings of the present research will be helpful for the professionals, working as educational, clinical and organizational psychologists in order to increase the awareness about the intrapersonal problems as a function of smoking and to provide counseling for management of intrapersonal problems, so that relapse free quit smoking programs may be evolved.