Volume 44, Issue 3 p. 397-414

Smoking and peer groups: Results from a longitudinal qualitative study of young people in Northern Ireland

Barbara J. Stewart-Knox

Corresponding Author

Barbara J. Stewart-Knox

Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), University of Ulster, UK

Correspondence should be addressed to Barbara J. Stewart-Knox, Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), University of Ulster, Coleraine BT52 1SA. UK (e-mail: [email protected]).Search for more papers by this author
Julie Sittlington

Julie Sittlington

Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), University of Ulster, UK

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Jorun Rugkåsa

Jorun Rugkåsa

Institute of Public Health in Ireland, Ireland

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Sheila Harrisson

Sheila Harrisson

Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), University of Ulster, UK

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Margaret Treacy

Margaret Treacy

University College Dublin, Ireland

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Pilar Santos Abaunza

Pilar Santos Abaunza

University of Cantabria, Spain

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First published: 10 January 2011
Citations: 51

Abstract

Previous research has indicated that young people are under considerable social pressure to take up smoking. This study has therefore sought to explore and better understand the mechanisms through which peer-related social factors operate to encourage young people to smoke. Individual qualitative interviews were held with adolescent children aged 11–12 years (N=102) within youth clubs based in economically deprived areas of Northern Ireland, and then followed up on two occasions during the subsequent 3 years (N=51/39). The data implied that, although peers influence smoking uptake, this seldom happens through direct persuasion, but rather as the result of the young person striving to conform to the normative behaviour of the peer group with which they identify. The findings are consistent with social identity theory and self-categorization theory in that for both smoking and non-smoking 14-year-olds smoking activity appears to provide a means through which to define social groups, to accentuate similarity within groups and differences between groups. In-group favouritism was expressed in the sharing of cigarettes within the in-group and in the negative stereotyping of out-group members. There was some evidence that group affiliation may be negotiated differently for boys and girls. These findings imply that successful intervention needs to reconsider the normative processes that encourage young people to smoke.