The following is a summary of “Parenting practices, mental health, and electronic cigarette use among US young adolescents: A longitudinal panel analysis, 2013–2018,” published in the December 2023 issue of Psychiatry by Han et al.

This longitudinal study explored the correlation between parenting practices regarding tobacco use and the incidence of e-cigarette consumption among US young adolescents aged 12 to 14. Leveraging multi-wave longitudinal data from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study between 2013 and 2018, a cohort of 5,114 adolescents was tracked across four waves (Wave 1–4). Analyzing weighted logistic regression models and generalized linear mixed models, the investigation examined parenting behaviors linked to tobacco use, such as tobacco availability at home, parent discussions about tobacco, and regulations concerning non-combustible tobacco use at home. 

The findings revealed an increase in home rules against non-combustible tobacco use over time, while discussions about tobacco declined. Notably, the availability of tobacco at home was associated with a higher likelihood of adolescent e-cigarette use, whereas household rules against non-combustible tobacco were linked to a reduced probability of e-cigarette use among adolescents. Moreover, the impact of home rules against non-combustible tobacco was more pronounced in adolescents with internalizing problems but less influential in those with externalizing problems, highlighting the varying influences of mental health on parenting practices and adolescent behavior concerning e-cigarette use. The study underscores the importance of parental interventions at home in deterring young adolescents from engaging in e-cigarette use and suggests the consideration of mental health conditions for more effective prevention strategies, whether at home or in clinical settings.

Source: sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S009174352300381X