Tests of Social Bonding, Differential Association/Social Learning, Strain Theories, and Cigarette Use Among Adolescents in Türkiye

Background: Only a few studies have tested the effects of social bonding, differential association/social learning, and strain theories on cigarette smoking by adolescents in the West/the U.S. and Türkiye. Objectives: Using data collected from adolescents (N = 1.710) living in central Ankara (the capital of Türkiye) in 2001, this study explored whether social bonding, differential association/social learning, and strain theories had any effect on adolescent cigarette use and whether the link between these theories and cigarette smoking varied by gender. Results: While family supervision was negatively associated with the likelihood of cigarette smoking, substance use by close friends, having delinquent friends, definitions favorable to smoking, school failure and punishment at school were positively related to the likelihood of cigarette smoking. Conclusion: Social bonding, differential association/social learning, and strain theories are generally associated with smoking in the theoretically expected direction. However, the data also indicate that variables from social learning theory have a greater impact on cigarette smoking by adolescents, followed by variables from strain and social bonding theories. Finally, the three theories appear to play more important roles in female than male adolescent smoking behaviors.