Nonresident Father Involvement Reduces Risk of Smoking in Their Adolescents

Adolescents from divorced and/or separated households are more likely to smoke than their peers from intact families. The results of this study suggest that involvement with nonresident fathers decreases the likelihood that adolescents will begin smoking on a regular basis.

According to a study  published in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 24% of 12th graders reported in a survey that they had smoked within the past 30 days, and 16% said that they smoke on a daily basis. Previous studies have shown that adolescents from divorced and/or separated households are more likely to smoke than their peers from intact families. However, few studies have addressed the factors that may help to minimize this risk, such as the involvement of nonresident fathers in divorced and/or separated households. For this study, the researchers aimed to investigate nonresident father involvement more closely. According to the study, the results suggest that involvement with nonresident fathers decreases the likelihood that adolescents will begin smoking on a regular basis. In addition, the researchers found that adolescents whose nonresident fathers model smoking behaviors have an increased likelihood of starting to smoke on a regular basis. While children who experience parental divorce or separation are somewhat at a disadvantage, some of the long-term effects on these children are avoidable and can be offset by a number of resources, including the active involvement of nonresident parents. [1]

[1]Nonresident Fathers’ Involvement and Adolescents’ Smoking, Journal of Health and Social Behavior, Vol. 47, March 2006, pp. 32-46.