Parent Resource Center
Peer pressure. We've all experienced it. And when it comes to youth smoking, the connection is clear–research shows that the influence of peers is especially powerful in determining when and how cigarettes are first tried.11. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Reducing Tobacco Use: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, Georgia: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office of Smoking and Health, 2000.
Kids today feel social pressure in countless ways, from clothing and music choices to risky areas such as drugs, sex and smoking. The intensity of peer pressure varies from situation to situation. Adolescents experience it when friends or others they admire pressure them to do something they don't want to do, or when they feel they have to do something to fit in.
Kids say peer pressure makes them feel they're being pulled in two directions. They may not want to do what they're feeling pressured to do, but they're also afraid of losing their friends if they say no. Kids worry about being on people's bad sides and really want to avoid feeling like outsiders.
During adolescence, kids assert their independence and explore their identity. Yet they still crave the approval of their peers and worry, often unnecessarily, about being rejected. Dr. Jacqueline Lerner, a professor of psychology at Boston College, says, "Adolescents behave in accordance with their perceptions—which do not always match reality." You can help them accurately perceive the world by sharing your experiences and a more factual perspective on reality. Your words do make a difference, even if it seems your kids aren't paying attention.
When it comes to smoking cigarettes, kids are clearly influenced by what their friends do. The smoking rate among kids who have three or more friends who smoke is 10 times higher than the rate among kids who report that none of their friends smoke.22. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2001). Changing adolescent smoking prevalence. Smoking and Tobacco Control Monograph 14, 85-89.
Another national study asked 11–17-year-olds how many of their friends smoke. Of those who said 3 to 4 of their friends smoked, approximately 37 percent smoke as well. This study also found that positive peer influence was closely tied to not smoking - almost 99% of kids who said that none of their friends smoke didn't smoke either.33. Philip Morris USA Youth Smoking Prevention (2005). Teenage Attitudes and Behavior Study – 2004 Results.
As your child grows into a teen, he may seem to tune out much of what you say. But research shows that parents are still the strongest influence on adolescents' big decisions, like whether to smoke, drink or have sex.
Teenagers who don't smoke say one of the main reasons is their parents.44. Philip Morris USA Youth Smoking Prevention (2005). Teenage Attitudes and Behavior Study – 2004 Results. Kids know and respect their parents' expectations—if their parents have stated them clearly and repeatedly.
Peers and pop culture will probably influence your child's choice of clothing, hairstyles, music and the like. That's OK. You might not like their music or the way they look, but if you let them make these relatively minor decisions, they are more likely to listen to you on the ones that really matter—like not smoking.
Your influence is real. You are in the best place to help guide your child as he struggles with peer pressure, examines his options, and gradually becomes a mature, independent thinker.
Next Topic: Insights & ToolsText in this section from: Peer pressure & smoking (2005)
