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If Parents Establish a No-Smoking Agreement With Their Offspring, Does This Prevent Adolescents From Smoking? Findings From Three Dutch Studies

Utrecht University, The Netherlands, e.denexterblokland{at}uu.nl

Rutger C. Engels, PhD

Radboud, University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Zeena Harakeh, PhD

Utrecht University, The Netherlands

William W. Hale, III, PhD

Utrecht University, The Netherlands

Wim Meeus, PhD

Utrecht University, The Netherlands

Data from three studies were used to investigate whether the establishment of a no-smoking agreement is related to lower odds of adolescent smoking. The prevalence of a no-smoking agreement was first explored by using a national sample involving 4,501 Dutch adolescents. Second, data from a longitudinal study among 595 early adolescents and their parents were used to test whether establishing a no-smoking agreement prevents adolescents from smoking. Third, the authors tested among 856 early- and mid-adolescents and their parents, whether in addition to the establishment of a no-smoking agreement, the frequency and quality of communication on smoking issues had an effect on adolescent smoking. The findings do not support that establishing a no-smoking agreement is an effective deterrent with regard to adolescent smoking. Parents who want to prevent smoking might consider focusing their efforts on establishing a good quality of communication on smoking issues whereas parents who just talk a lot about smoking issues without considering the quality of their communication might do more harm than good.

Key Words: adolescent • communication • smoking • smoking-specific parenting

This version was published on August 1, 2009

Health Education & Behavior, Vol. 36, No. 4, 759-776 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/1090198108330000


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