A Comparative Study on Impulsivity, Depression and Anxiety between Smokers and Non-smokers of the College Students in Cheonan

Kang, Young Gyu; Kim, Hyun Woo; Paik, Ki Chung; Lee, Kyung Kyu; Lim, Myung Ho

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
The study aims to determine whether smokers are more likely to have depression, anxiety and impulsiveness than nonsmokers. In addition, the difference between male and female smokers in terms of psychiatric symptoms are also to be looked at, particularly considered that there is still social stigma against female smokers in Korea. Ultimately, conclusions of the report can decide whether the psychiatric factors should be regarded important in treating smokers and prevention of smoking.
METHODS
The study is composed of two parts, a preliminary study to check confidence level of BIS-11 and the main study to examine relations between smoking and mental health. For the preliminary study, BIS-11 was translated into Korean to check its confidence level by interviewing 187 people, among whom 30 respondents had gone through an examination and a reexamination with one-week interval. Respondents of the main study were total 550 college students in Cheonan area. The questionaires were categorized into five parts; 1) sociodemographic variants 2) temporary Korean version of Barrat Impulsiveness Scale(Version 11: BIS-11) 3) Korean version of Beck Depression Inventory 4) trait anxiety scale from Korean verison of State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. SPSS Win9.0 has been run to analyze the outcome mainly using Two-Way ANOVA and independent T-test.
RESULTS
Difference between genders/smokers and nonmokers: The overall score of BIS-11, one of its three subcategories: impromptuness, Beck Depression, and the combined score for multi scales were significantly higher among smokers. Female smokers showed significantly higher scores than male smokers in trait anxiety, overall BIS-11, and two of its three subcategories(indiscretion and motor), Beck Depression and the combined score for multi scales. Overall BIS-11, two of its three subcategories(indiscretion and motor), Beck Depression and the combined score for multi scales were meaningful variants in comparison between male smokers/ nonsmokers. While there was no significant difference between smokers and nonsmokers among men, significant difference was identified among women who showed higher scores across all variants.
CONCLUSION
Although it is not sure whether it is the result or the cause of smoking it is confirmed that smokers have problems in psychiatric areas such as depression, anxiety, and inpromptuness, particularly among female smokers to greater degree. Therefore, it strongly implies that psychiatric aspects should be considered in preventing and treating severe smoking problems of female smokers along with physical ill effects.