Transition in Smoking Stages and Its Relationship with Family Psychological Function and Perceived Social Support in Adolescents of Tabriz, Iran

There is limited information on the relationship between family psychological functions and perceived social support with progress in cigarette smoking stages in adolescents. This study was aimed to determine the relationship between family psychological function and perceived social support through a transition in different stages of cigarette smoking in adolescents of Tabriz, Iran.

In this study, 4,216 students (14–19 years old) from high schools were selected by multistage cluster sampling method. Initially, we used valid and reliable questionnaires for demographic characteristics, risk factors, Iranian family psychological function, and perceived social support. The smoking status questionnaire was administered twice, with an interval of 6 months. Data were analyzed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis.

Overall, 3,968 students with the mean (standard deviation) age of 15.96 (0.75) years completed the questionnaire in the first phase of the study. The results showed that lower levels of family psychosocial function (P < 0.001) and perceived social support (P < 0.001) in the univariate state were significantly associated with progress in cigarette smoking stages. By controlling the potential confounding factors, the weak and moderate family psychological function compared to the strong function increased the chance of progress in the cigarette smoking stages by almost 11 and 4 times, respectively (P < 0.001). The low and moderate level of perceived social support compared to the high level increased the chance of progress in cigarette smoking stages by almost 7 and 2 times, respectively (P < 0.001).

It is suggested to perform an organized, precise, and operational planning for strengthening the family psychological functions and providing an appropriate social support condition among adolescents to prevent the tendency toward cigarette smoking and its more advanced phases.