Self-esteem and smoking, drinking and drug use in Japanese high school students

Abstract

The relation between self-esteem and smoking, drinking and drug use in Japanese high school students was examined. A total of 2506 first- and second- (tenth and eleventh) grade high school students in seven prefectures completed a self-report questionnaire designed to assess their smoking, drinking and drug-use behavior and future intention to smoke, drink alcohol and use drugs. We verified the reliability and validity of assessing self-esteem using a Japanese language version of Rosenberg's Self-esteem Scale. In males, self-esteem was significantly and negatively related to smoking behavior, and those who did not intend to smoke in the future had significantly higher self-esteem scores than those who intended to smoke. In male experimental smokers, those who did not intend to smoke in the future had significantly higher self-esteem scores than those who intended to smoke. On the other hand, no relation was found between female high school students' self-esteem and smoking behavior and intention to smoke. Nor was any relation found in the self-esteem of both genders and drinking and drug-use behavior and intended future drinking and drug use. The results of this study indicate that high self-esteem and education to raise self-esteem is important in preventing smoking in male high school students in Japan.