Parenting Style Experienced in Childhood and Risk of Smoking Addiction in Adulthood

Introduction. Smoking increases people’s morbidity and mortality in Lithuania and worldwide. Although great efforts are being made to reduce smoking in Lithuania, this problem is still widespread in society to this day. Considering the harm of smoking to human health, it is important to look for factors that can reduce it. Based on scientific literature, it is observed that parenting style may be associated with the risk of smoking addiction in adulthood. Methods. The research included respondents aged between 25 and 64, consisting of 57.4% women and 42.6% men. A quantitative questionnaire survey method was applied for the study, which was conducted online and in public space. The research instrument was a questionnaire consisting of 1) the Demandingness and Responsiveness Scale, 2) the Fagerström Nicotine Dependence Test, and 3) sociodemographic questions. The data were analysed using univariate and bivariate statistics. Results. The most common experienced parenting style in childhood was the mother’s authoritative parenting style, while the father’s was neglectful parenting. Cigarettes were the most commonly used in the study sample, and those who smoked them had the highest risk of becoming addicted (M = 5.18). The most common level of addiction risk was moderate. Finally, parenting style in childhood was associated with higher risk of cigarette and heated tobacco addiction in adulthood. Mother’s (H = 17.93, p < 0.001) and father’s (H = 17.30, p < 0.001) neglectful parenting style in childhood were associated the increased risk of cigarette addiction, while father’s authoritarian parenting was associated with the risk of heated tobacco addiction (H = 7.81, p = 0.05). Conclusions. Higher risk of cigarette addiction was related to neglectful parenting style of the mother and father, while the risk of heated tobacco addiction – to authoritarian parenting style of the father. Meanwhile, e-cigarette smoking was not association with parenting style experienced in childhood.