Peer Vaping as a Predictor of Adolescent Nicotine/Tobacco Vaping and Definitions as a Mediator: A Test of Social Learning Theory

Social learning theory is a robust framework for explaining substance use. However, research on the framework and its mechanisms for explaining nicotine/tobacco vaping remains limited. The present study sought to address this gap in the literature by examining peer vaping as a predictor of youth vaping behaviors and the mediating role of vaping-related definitions. The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development data were analyzed. Generalized structural equation modeling was used to test for direct and indirect effects of interest. Findings indicated that greater peer vaping was associated with increased risk of participant vaping at follow-up. This relationship was significantly mediated by vaping-related definitions, accounting for about 10% of the peer vaping coefficient observed in Model 1. Findings were similar in sensitivity analyses, though the use of different methodological approaches across analyses made comparison difficult. This highlights the relevance of social learning theory for explaining contemporary substance use issues.