Perceived Susceptibility to Addiction among Adolescent Smokers

Previous research demonstrates that adolescent smokers are aware of smoking’s health consequences yet perceive they are less susceptible to harm than other smokers, thereby exhibiting an optimistic bias. The present study extends such research to consider whether optimistic bias is present in relation to the addictive consequences of smoking. To explore this, 416 adolescents responded to a questionnaire about the consequences of smoking. As predicted, there was a significant association between regular, experimental, and non-smokers’ perceptions about their personal susceptibility to addiction. Regular smokers showed the greatest bias about their ability to quit smoking. Implications for prevention campaigns are discussed.