Factors Associated with Smoking Behaviors in Out-of-School Youth: Based on an Ecological Model

Purpose: To investigate the association between smoking behavior in out-of-school youths (OSY) and individual, interpersonal, and organizational factors through an ecological model. Methods: Participants were 297 OSY aged 13–18 years, who visited J area’s counseling center. The independent variables were self-control (intrapersonal factor), parental attachment and social network (interpersonal factors), and exposure to no-smoking policy (community factor). The dependent variable was smoking. Descriptive statistics, χ(2)-tests, correlation analyses, and logistic regression analysis were performed. Results: The predictors of smoking in OSY were analyzed using demographic, intrapersonal, interpersonal, and community factors. Period after discontinuation of school, self-control, parental attachment, and friends’ smoking behavior were significant predictors. Smoking behavior was found to decrease when the period after discontinuation of school was over than one year, when the parents attachment increased and when self-control increased. Conversely, smoking increased when friends’ smoking increased. Conclusions: When administering smoking prevention programs for OSY, parental attachment and psychological traits, such as self-control, should be taken into consideration. Therefore, for effective results, such programs need to strengthen self-control, stress the importance of parental attachment through parent education, and enroll adolescents along with their friends who smoke. Implications and Contribution: Based on an ecological model, this descriptive survey, conducted to investigate the association between smoking behavior among out-of-school youths and individual, interpersonal, and organizational factors, proposes that smoking prevention programs should consider parental attachment and psychological traits, including self-control, for optimal effectiveness.