Mechanism of psychological distress-driven smoking addiction behavior

This study investigates the role of psychological distress in different nicotine dependence symptoms (urge to smoke, rigid patterns of cigarette use, and decreased tolerance of smoking) that in turn lead to greater cigarette consumption. This research also examines the role of several moderators (gender, self-control, and risk perception) in the proposed mechanism to gain a deeper understanding of addictive consumption. The results from a sample of 8989 respondents to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health support the proposed model. Some counterintuitive findings related to self-control and risk perception deserve further attention. The findings of this study not only offer several useful implications for the literature on smoking addiction but may also help in developing strategies for preventing tobacco use.