Diskuze v psychologii 2020, 2(2):57-63 | DOI: 10.5507/dvp.2020.009

The motivation for smoking in minors from children's homes in Moravian-Silesian region

Jana Beránková, Martin Dolejš

Katedra psychologie FF UP, Křížkovského 10, 779 00 Olomouc, Česká republika

This study goal was to describe the motives that drive adolescents from children's homes towards smoking. The study had mixed methodology, composed of a pre-study, and with an emphasis on phenomenological study. For the selection of respondents was used random sampling. The collection of data happened with the use of an original questionnaire and a semi-structured interview. Two children's homes from the Moravian-Silesian region participated in the study. The questionnaire had 28 respondents, split evenly by gender, 8 of which were smokers who also participated in the interview, split evenly by gender. The results of the pre-study show that 46 % described themselves as regularly smokers. Their first smoking happened in the span of 5-16 years of age. Out of all participants 79 % had tried smoking cigarettes, 75 % believe that to smoke is harmful, 32 % never thought about quitting. IPA analysis determined that the most common ways how one starts smoking are if they are led to it by their friends, family and stressful situations. The habit, calming effects, the social aspect, boredom, craving or withdrawal symptoms have kept them smoking.

Keywords: smoking; nicotine; adolescence; risk behavior; children's homes

Published: April 11, 2021  Show citation