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The relationship between empathic responses to a targeted anti-smoking campaign and smoke-free intention among adolescents: A cross-sectional analysis by smoking status

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Introduction: Anti-smoking campaigns have been widely implemented to reduce adolescent smoking. However, these campaigns have heavily relied on fear appeals that emphasize the negative consequences of smoking. This study examined an alternative strategy based on empathy in a youth-targeted anti-smoking campaign. Specifically, it aimed to investigate the relationship between adolescents' empathic responses to the campaign and their smoke-free intention, as well as the moderating role of smoking status in this relationship. Methods: This cross-sectional study examined the association between a multidimensional continuous independent variable (empathic responses, including empathic understanding, identification, and vicarious emotional response) and a continuous dependent variable (smoke-free intention), with smoking status (never smoked, susceptible to smoking, tried smoking, repeated smoking, and habitual smoking) as a categorical moderator. An online survey was conducted in South Korea from 26 January to 18 February 2021. A total of 2000 adolescents (1019 males and 981 females) completed a structured questionnaire assessing their empathic responses to the anti-smoking campaign, smoke-free intention, and smoking status. Results: The findings revealed that empathic responses to the anti-smoking campaign were positively associated with smoke-free intention, including empathic understanding (p<0.001), identification (p<0.001), and vicarious emotional response (p<0.001). These positive associations remained significant across most smoking status groups, including never smoked (p<0.001), susceptible to smoking (p<0.001), tried smoking (p<0.001), and repeated smoking (p<0.01). However, the strength of these associations decreased as adolescents progressed toward habitual smoking. Conclusions: The empathy-based anti-smoking campaign targeting adolescents was positively associated with adolescents' smoke-free intention, although the strength of this relationship diminished as smoking became more habitual. These findings suggest that empathy-based anti-smoking campaigns could be an effective strategy for preventing smoking initiation among adolescents. However, additional strategies are required to promote smoking cessation among habitual adolescent smokers.

Source: Tobacco Induced Diseases

DOI: 10.18332/tid/240589

Authors: A-Reum Jung, Guiohk Lee

Institutions: Dankook University, Sejong University

Language: English

Topic: Smoking Behavior and Cessation

Subfield: Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,372