Marieke Hiemstra

Short-Term Effects of a Home-Based Smoking Prevention Program on Antismoking Socialization and Smoking-Related Cognitions: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the short-term effects of a home-based smoking prevention program called ‘Smoke-free Kids’ on antismoking socialization and smoking-related cognitions and the moderating role of parental smoking. Participants and Methods: A cluster randomized controlled trial was carried out using one intervention condition compared with a control condition. A total of 1,398 never-smoking children (mean age 10.11 years, SD 0.78) participated. Intention-to-treat and completers-only analyses were performed. Participants in the intervention condition (n = 728) received 5 activity modules by mail at 4-week intervals. Modules included communication sheets for their mothers. Participants in the control condition (n = 750) received a fact-based intervention only. The main outcomes were the frequency and quality of communication, nonsmoking agreement, house rules, availability of cigarettes, perceived maternal influence, anticipated maternal reactions, attitude, self-efficacy and social norms. Results: Significant effects of the program were found for frequency of communication (B = 0.11, p < 0.001), nonsmoking agreement (B = 0.07, p < 0.01), perceived maternal influences (B = 0.09, p < 0.05), self-efficacy (B = –0.09, p < 0.05) and social norms of friends (B = –0.08, p = 0.05) and best friends (B = –0.11, p < 0.05). Parental smoking had no moderating effect. Conclusions: The Smoke-free Kids program shows promising short-term effects on antismoking socialization and cognitions. Long-term follow-up on the effects of smoking behavior are needed.

Smoking-Specific Parenting and Smoking Onset in Adolescence: The Role of Genes from the Dopaminergic System (DRD2, DRD4, DAT1 Genotypes)

Although only few studies have shown direct links between dopaminergic system genes and smoking onset, this does not rule out the effect of a gene-environment interaction on smoking onset. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the associations between smoking-specific parenting (i.e., frequency and quality of communication and house rules) and smoking onset while considering the potential moderating role of dopaminergic system genes (i.e., DRD2, DRD4, and DAT1 genotypes). Data from five annual waves of the ‘Family and Health’ project were used. At time 1, the sample comprised 365 non-smoking adolescents (200 younger adolescents, mean age = 13.31, SD = .48; 165 older adolescents, mean age = 15.19, SD = .57). Advanced longitudinal analyses were used (i.e., logistic regression analyses, (dual) latent growth curves, and cross-lagged path models). The results showed a direct effect of quality of communication on smoking onset. No direct effects were found for frequency of communication and house rules. Furthermore, no direct and moderating effects of the DRD2, DRD4, or DAT1 genotypes were found. In conclusion, the findings indicated that the effects of smoking-specific parenting on smoking are similar for adolescent carriers and non-carriers of the dopaminergic system genes.

What parents can do to keep their children from smoking: A systematic review on smoking-specific parenting strategies and smoking onset

AIM To provide a systematic overview of longitudinal studies on different smoking-specific parenting practices (i.e., perceived parental norms and influences, smoking-specific monitoring, availability of cigarettes at home, household smoking rules, non-smoking agreements, smoking-specific communication, and parental reactions) as useful tools in the prevention of youth smoking. METHOD MEDLINE and PsychINFO search identified 986 studies published from 1990 to December 2016. Two independent researchers identified eligible studies. Study quality was assessed using Newcastle Ottawa Scale (NOS). RESULTS The systematic search resulted in 1 to 14 longitudinal studies per parenting practice. Studies scored between 4 and 9 on the NOS, indicating an overall moderate quality. The results of complete smoking house rules showed a preventive effect on smoking onset. Furthermore, availability of cigarettes, frequency and quality of communication, parental reaction (i.e., conflict engagement) and norms showed significant and non-significant effects. Significant results were in line with expectations: availability of cigarettes and frequent communication about smoking predicted smoking, whereas a high quality of communication, negative reactions or punishments and setting norms by parents showed a preventive effect. No effects were found for non-smoking agreements. The number of studies was too limited to draw conclusions about other parenting strategies. More research on (1) reliable and valid instruments, (2) other stages of smoking in addition to onset, and (3) potential moderators and mediators is warranted. CONCLUSION While evidence supports the effectiveness of smoking-specific parenting, further research is required.

Development of alcohol expectancies and early alcohol use in children and adolescents: A systematic review

PURPOSE Developmental changes in alcohol expectancies (AE) have been proposed to lead to alcohol use initiation and later alcohol use in adolescence. This systematic review aims to provide longitudinal evidence of the development of AE and the relation of AE to alcohol outcomes from childhood to late adolescence (4-18 years old). METHODS A computer-assisted search of relevant articles identified 1602 studies, of which 43 studies (conducted between 1996 and 2016) were selected. RESULTS First, negative AE decline and positive AE increase in early adolescence. Moreover, alcohol use (initiation) seems to strongly influence changes in AE. Second, AE predict alcohol use initiation and drinking patterns over time. Third, longitudinal predictors of AE could be divided into individual predictors (i.e., alcohol-related cognitions, psychopathology, and genetics) and environmental predictors (i.e., family, peer, and media influences). Lastly, the results indicated that AE function as mediators of the relations between the various individual and environmental predictors and adolescents alcohol use. CONCLUSIONS Alcohol expectancies form an important framework through which drinking behavior can be explained over time. Due to the diverse findings on the predictors of AE, future longitudinal studies should further clarify the factors that are essential in the development of AE and adolescents later alcohol use.

Parental Smoking and Smoking Cognitions among Youth: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Aims: We summarized and discussed the empirical evidence for an association between parental smoking and smoking-related cognitions among youth and for the mediating role of smoking-related cognitions in the relation between parental and youth smoking behaviour. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of articles published between 1980 and February 2015 using the databases PsychInfo and PubMed. Results: The systematic search resulted in 41 eligible studies. Only 4 studies investigated smoking-related cognitions as putative mediators in the association between parental and youth smoking. The synthesis of evidence showed a mix of significant and non-significant associations between parental smoking and smoking-related cognitions among youth. A majority of results reported positive associations even when non-significant findings were found. However, studies that report an effect suggest that the effect may be quite modest. Conclusion: Empirical evidence does not confirm the commonly applied assertions of social learning theories that parental smoking increases the risk of youth smoking through the development of favourable smoking-related cognitions. Methodological and theoretical aspects that might explain the lack of consistent findings are discussed.