%0 Journal Article
%T Predictors of Middle School Students¡¯ Interest in Participating in an Incentive-Based Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program in Connecticut
%A Meghan E. Morean
%A Deepa R. Camenga
%A Grace Kong
%A Dana A. Cavallo
%A Ty S. Schepis
%A Suchitra Krishnan-Sarin
%J Journal of Addiction
%D 2014
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2014/915652
%X Behavioral incentives have been used to encourage smoking cessation in older adolescents, but the acceptability of incentives to promote a smoke-free lifestyle in younger adolescents is unknown. To inform the development of novel, effective, school-based interventions for youth, we assessed middle school students¡¯ interest in participating in an incentive-based tobacco abstinence program. We surveyed 988 students (grades 6¨C8) attending three Connecticut middle schools to determine whether interest in program participation varied as a function of (1) intrapersonal factors (i.e., demographic characteristics (sex, age, race), smoking history, and trait impulsivity) and/or (2) aspects of program design (i.e., prize type, value, and reward frequency). Primary analyses were conducted using multiple regression. A majority of students (61.8%) reported interest in program participation. Interest did not vary by gender, smoking risk status, or offering cash prizes. However, younger students, non-Caucasian students, behaviorally impulsive students, and students with higher levels of self-regulation were more likely to report interest. Inexpensive awards (e.g., video games) offered monthly motivated program interest. In sum, middle school students reported high levels of interest in an incentive-based program to encourage a tobacco-free lifestyle. These formative data can inform the design of effective, incentive-based smoking cessation and prevention programs in middle schools. 1. Introduction Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality in the United States [1, 2]. According to the National Youth Tobacco Survey [3], 5% of middle school students (grades 6¨C8) currently smoke cigarettes and 20% of nonsmokers report willingness to experiment with cigarettes. A growing body of research indicates that trait impulsivity, or ¡°a predisposition toward rapid, unplanned action¡­with diminished regard to negative consequences¡± [4] may further increase risk for smoking initiation [5¨C7]. High levels of intent to smoke among young adolescents may be driven in part by intrapersonal factors like impulsivity and contribute to sharp increases in smoking uptake among high school students. Unfortunately, early initiation of smoking predicts future regular smoking and increases the likelihood of developing lifetime respiratory conditions, cardiovascular disease, and cancers [8]. Thus, effective tobacco prevention/intervention programs in middle schools are needed. Unfortunately, few well-designed prevention or intervention trials have shown promise in middle
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jad/2014/915652/