Psychosocial predictors of adolescent tobacco consumption: extensions of the Theory of Planned Behavior

Abstract

This research examined in a sample of 227 adolescents, first, the incremental predictive utility of prototype similarity after controlling for theory of planned behavior (TPB) variables and, second, the differential predictive contribution of the two components of the perceived behavioral control (PBC): self-efficacy expectation and anticipation of difficulties. The results evidenced that: 1) Intention and smoking behavior were predicted by TPB variables (except for the subjective norm). 2) Prototype similarity significantly added to predictions of intention and behavior. 3) Both PBC ingredients were predictive of intention, but only self-efficacy was predictive of behavior. Overall, these findings are consistent with existing TPB research; evidence the predictive advantage of the perception of prototype similarity, and show the differential contribution of self-efficacy and anticipation of difficulties in predicting intention and behavior.