Smoking among U. S. Navy Enlisted Men: Some Contributing Factors

Abstract

Factors contributing to the high incidence of smoking in a sample of 505 U. S. Navy enlisted men were examined. Levenson's 1973 multidimensional locus of control scale was used to assess personality differences between smokers and nonsmokers. Also measured were perceptions of stress and peer relationships. It was hypothesized that nonsmokers would be more internal, less chance-oriented, report less stress, and perceive less positive peer relationships than smokers. The results generally supported the first three hypotheses but did not support the fourth. It was suggested that programs to promote internal expectations, such as the Navy's Health Readiness Program, may be a method of lowering the high incidence of smoking. Because the proportion of variance accounted for is low, more immediate and perhaps more salient solutions mentioned were to (a) encourage those in the chain of command to set a no-smoking example, (b) stop the practice of giving work breaks for smoking, and (c) discontinue military price discounts on cigarettes.