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Original article

Perception of Smokers: Results from the Tobacco Monitoring Switzerland

Published Online:April 19, 2011https://doi.org/10.1024/0939-5911.a000070

Abstract

Aim: The purpose of the study is to present adolescents’ perceptions of smokers and non-smokers among 1015 Swiss adolescents. Method: The analyses are based on data from Tobacco Monitoring Switzerland, which is a survey of tobacco consumption in Switzerland. To measure the perceptions of smokers and non-smokers, respondents were asked to attribute a series of adjectives to each group. It was also recorded when respondents mentioned that “there is no difference between smokers and non-smokers.” Results: Results show that regardless of whether the adolescents smoked or did not smoke – with the exception of more sociable – the image of smokers was more negative than the image of non-smokers. Findings also indicated that regular smokers in particular often stated that there are no differences between both groups. Conclusions: Overall, the image of smokers is more negative than the image of non-smokers, with the exception of the attribute more sociable. This perception of smokers could be important for prevention measures in new contexts (e. g., school transitions), where smoking could be a means of establishing new social ties.


Imageeinschätzung von Rauchenden: Ergebnisse des Tabakmonitoring Schweiz

Ziel: Die Studie untersucht die Imageeinschätzung Rauchender und Nichtrauchender Schweizer Jugendlicher (N = 1015). Methode: Die Daten wurden im Rahmen des Tabakmonitoring Schweiz erhoben, welches den schweizerischen Tabakkonsum erfasst. Zur Messung des Images schätzten die Jugendlichen ein, ob verschiedene Adjektive eher auf Rauchende oder Nichtrauchende zutreffen. Es wurde berücksichtigt, wenn Jugendliche angaben, “es gibt keinen Unterschied zwischen Rauchenden und Nichtrauchenden.” Ergebnisse: Jugendliche schätzen das Image von Rauchenden – mit Ausnahme des Attributs kontaktfreudig – negativer ein, als das von Nichtrauchenden und zwar unabhängig davon, ob sie selber rauchen oder nicht. Regelmäßig Rauchende äußern zudem häufiger, es gibt keinen Unterschied zwischen beiden Gruppen. Schlussfolgerung: Das Image von Rauchenden ist negativer als das von Nichtrauchenden. Rauchende werden aber als kontaktfreudiger eingeschätzt. Dies sollte für präventive Interventionen relevant sein, da Rauchen als Mittel zur Herstellung sozialer Beziehungen angesehen werden könnte, was in neuen Kontexten (z. B. Schulübergänge) bedeutsam werden kann.

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