A recent study by Nationwide Children's Hospital found that adolescents whose parents are smokers are more impulsive - a quality that they share with their parents. Impulsivity, which is related to a need for instant gratification, may be an influencing factor in the decision to become a smoker.

The study found that mothers who smoke and their children were consistently more likely to choose an immediate, discounted reward, over a delayed full reward than were non-smoking mothers and their children.

The study collected information from 60 participants in an Ohio community. Brady Reynolds, PhD, lead author and principal investigator of the study, who is with the Center for Biobehavioral Health of The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, commented on the implications of these finding for smoking prevention efforts:

"Our study is significant in that it indicates most adolescent smokers, or children at risk of smoking, respond to more immediate consequences when making choices,' Reynolds said. "Therefore, prevention programs that stress the long-term negative effects of smoking are going to be less effective for those adolescents most at risk of smoking. Also, cessation programs focused on long-term outcomes will likely be less effective for adolescent smokers attempting to quit." (Source: ScienceDaily.com)

Labels: parents, risky_behaviors, smokers

Posted By: Jane St. Clair