Change of Self-Concept of Smoking Experience in Middle School Students

중학생의 흡연경험과 자아관 변화 연구

Purpose: This study was done to identify change in self-concept of smoking experience in middle school students. Method: The study was a longitudinal survey design and used only the responses on self-concept and smoking state from the data of the Korea Youth Panel Survey (KYPS). The sample for this study consisted of 3,449 middle school students and the data were collected over a two-year period (2003-2004). Results: Self-esteem scores for the first and second year were significantly higher and self-stigma and aggression scores were significantly lower in the non-smoking maintenance group. There was a significant increase in self-esteem scores for students in second year who quit smoking compared to those in first year. There was a significant decrease in scores for attachment to surrounding people and emotional sense of control in second year students compared to those first year for students in the non-smoking maintenance group and the group that quit smoking. Self-intimacy scores were significantly lower in the smoking maintenance group. There was a significant increase in sex-role identity scores in second year students compared to those in first year for students in the group who newly started smoking. Conclusion: Findings from this study can contribute to designing appropriate smoking prevention strategies to improve self-constructs related smoking experiences in adolescents.