The Will to Stop: Explaining Smoking Habits
A new study carried out by researchers at the University of Stirling has discovered a link between self-control and lifelong smoking habits. It claims that children identified as having low levels of self-control by age eleven are more prone to taking up smoking during adolescence and are twice as likely to continue the habit into their adult years. The study considered possible variables such as intelligence levels, social class and parental smoking habits, but still found that low levels of self-control, identified prior to trying smoking for the first time, predicted a significantly higher risk of regular smoking during adulthood. It also reports that those identified as having low self-control had more difficulty quitting and, when they did manage to stop, were more likely to relapse.
The investigation calls for new initiatives which should look to support children with low self-control to help improve their life chances. As the head researcher of the project clarifies: While current child educational programmes often focus exclusively on explaining the dangers of smoking, the study’s findings suggest that a “complementary approach” which aims to improve general self-control is needed. This, in turn, “could have lifelong health benefits.”