Trait anxiety and nicotine dependence in adolescents: a report from the DANDY study

Joseph R DiFranza; Judith A Savageau; Nancy A Rigotti; Judith K Ockene; Ann D McNeill; Mardia Coleman; Constance Wood

doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2004.02.021

Trait anxiety and nicotine dependence in adolescents: a report from the DANDY study

Addict Behav. 2004 Jul;29(5):911-9. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2004.02.021.

Authors

Joseph R DiFranza¹, Judith A Savageau, Nancy A Rigotti, Judith K Ockene, Ann D McNeill, Mardia Coleman, Constance Wood

Affiliation

¹ Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 Lake Avenue, Worcester, MA 01655, USA. difranzj@ummhc.org

PMID: 15219335
DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2004.02.021

Abstract

The Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale (RCMAS) and the Hooked on Nicotine Checklist (HONC) were used to measure trait anxiety and tobacco dependence in a population of 581 adolescents. Smokers demonstrated higher mean RCMAS scores (9.3, S.D.=6.5) than nonsmokers did (7.4, S.D.=6.2, t=-3.7, P<.001). Participants with symptoms of tobacco dependence had higher RCMAS scores (mean=11.6, S.D.=6.0, n=115) than did the participants without symptoms (mean=7.8, S.D.=6.0, n=177, t=-5.3, P<.001). Scores on the RCMAS and the HONC correlated positively (n=292, r=.32, P<.001). Participants who had felt relaxed in response to their first exposure to nicotine were also more likely to develop dependence and to report that stress caused cravings or a need to smoke. Trait anxiety and relaxation in response to the first dose of nicotine were unrelated and appear to be independent risk factors for the development of nicotine dependence and a reliance on tobacco to cope with stress.

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Anxiety / diagnosis*
Anxiety / psychology
Humans
Manifest Anxiety Scale*
Risk Factors
Smoking / psychology*
Smoking Cessation
Stress, Psychological / psychology
Tobacco Use Disorder / psychology*