Contribution of Demographic Variables, Parents Smoking, Anxiety, and Depression to Smoking Status and Severity of Nicotine Dependence in Emerging Adulthood (Predictors of Smoking Status and Nicotine Dependence)

Aim: Smoking is recognized as a chronic nicotine dependence disorder that is considered a major risk factor for various diseases and disabilities affecting the physical health of all body organs, as well as mental health. Emerging adulthood is a life stage from 18 to 25 years old when most identity exploration occurs, which may include experimenting with various life possibilities, including smoking. Examine the contribution of demographic variables (age, sex, employment, financial status), parental smoking, anxiety, and depression to nicotine dependence and smoking status in young individuals. Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted, involving 139 participants aged 18 to 25 residing in the Republic of Croatia. The questionnaire consisted of three parts. The first part focused on demographic questions (age, sex, marital status, educational level, employment, financial status self-assessment, and whether participants were smokers or not), followed by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Depen- dence (FTND). Results: The results revealed a positive correlation between anxiety and nicotine dependence (p = 0.004). Significant contributions to nicotine dependence were observed from variables of anxiety (p = 0.004) and one parent smoking (p = 0.004), while the smoking status was influenced by both parents smoking (p = 0.026). Conclusion: The research findings emphasize the importance of addressing anxiety symptoms in efforts to prevent and reduce nicotine dependence among youth. They also highlight the need for targeted interventions aimed at reducing parental smoking to mitigate the risk of smoking initiation and the severity of addiction in children.