TY - JOUR
T1 - Delay discounting as a mediator of the relationship between perceived stress and cigarette smoking status in adolescents
AU - Fields, Sherecce
AU - Leraas, Kristen
AU - Collins, Christine
AU - Reynolds, Brady
PY - 2009/9
Y1 - 2009/9
N2 - There has been a wealth of research providing evidence for the relationship between stress and cigarette smoking during adolescence. Despite this knowledge, little is known about possible behavioral mechanisms by which stress exerts its influence on the decision to smoke. This study sought to examine one such behavioral characteristic, delay discounting, that may mediate the relationship between stress and cigarette smoking. Delay discounting generally refers to the discounting of value for outcomes because they are delayed; and high rates of delay discounting have been linked to impulsive behavior. For the current research, adolescent smokers (n = 50) and nonsmokers (n = 50) were compared using a self-report measure of perceived stress and a laboratory assessment of delay discounting. Smokers tended to report higher levels of stress and to discount more by delay, and there was a significant association between reported stress and delay discounting. In addition, delay discounting mediated the relationship between stress and cigarette smoking status. These results suggest that discounting by delay may be a behavior through which stress exerts influence on an adolescent's decision to smoke.
AB - There has been a wealth of research providing evidence for the relationship between stress and cigarette smoking during adolescence. Despite this knowledge, little is known about possible behavioral mechanisms by which stress exerts its influence on the decision to smoke. This study sought to examine one such behavioral characteristic, delay discounting, that may mediate the relationship between stress and cigarette smoking. Delay discounting generally refers to the discounting of value for outcomes because they are delayed; and high rates of delay discounting have been linked to impulsive behavior. For the current research, adolescent smokers (n = 50) and nonsmokers (n = 50) were compared using a self-report measure of perceived stress and a laboratory assessment of delay discounting. Smokers tended to report higher levels of stress and to discount more by delay, and there was a significant association between reported stress and delay discounting. In addition, delay discounting mediated the relationship between stress and cigarette smoking status. These results suggest that discounting by delay may be a behavior through which stress exerts influence on an adolescent's decision to smoke.
KW - Adolescents
KW - Cigarette smoking
KW - Delay discounting
KW - Perceived stress
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=70349665548&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=70349665548&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/FBP.0b013e328330dcff
DO - 10.1097/FBP.0b013e328330dcff
M3 - Article
C2 - 19730366
AN - SCOPUS:70349665548
SN - 0955-8810
VL - 20
SP - 455
EP - 460
JO - Behavioural Pharmacology
JF - Behavioural Pharmacology
IS - 5-6
ER -