Comparison of personality traits Between Smokers and Non-smokers: TheRole of Sensation Seeking and Core Self-Evaluations

Background: Nowadays, smoking is recognized as one of the most important preventable causesof premature death in the world and personality traits are one of the influential factors in people'stendency to smoke. Therefore, we conducted the present study to compare the sensation seekingand core self-evaluations in the smoking and non-smoking population.Methods: The present research was descriptive-correlational and its statistical populationconsisted of the general population of Hormozgan province. ۸۶۷ people from ۱۳ cities participatedin this study. Inclusion criteria consisted of Internet access to answer questions, literacy, nonaddictionto drugs and alcohol, willingness to participate in research and exclusion criteriaincluded people with substance use. Due to the coincidence of the study with the prevalence ofcoronavirus, we used online questionnaires to collect data. We made the link of the questionnaireavailable to the participants through health care providers and health center assistant nurses in thecities in the relevant channels (Telegram and WhatsApp channels). Data were collected usingsmoking harms awareness questionnaire, Zuckerman sensation seeking scale, core self-evaluationsscale and smoking questionnaire. Data were analyzed with Chi-square test, independent samplesT-test and three-way ANOVA with SPSS-۲۴.Results: ۳۳۱ (۳۸.۲%) of the participants were smokers and ۵۳۶ (۶۱.۸%) were nonsmokers. About۵۰% (n=۱۶۲) of smokers have started smoking before the age of ۱۵. Of the total number ofsmokers, ۲۰۹ (۶۳.۱%) people smoke more than ۱۵ cigarettes in a week. Friends of ۴۳.۸% of theparticipants in the research smoked. In ۶۵.۲% of the participants, none of the family memberssmoked. Age mean of smokers (۳۸.۵۶) and nonsmokers (۳۱.۰۱) are statistically different(P<۰.۰۰۱). The mean scores of awareness of the harms of smoking in non-smokers and smokerswere ۷.۴۳ (SD=۲.۴۳) and ۶.۵۱ (۱.۷۲), respectively (P<۰.۰۰۱). The findings also indicated asignificant relationship between smoking status and gender, marital status, education level, and jobstatus (P<۰.۰۰۱). The mean scores of sensation seeking in the non-smokers and smokers were ۱۵.۱(SD=۵.۶۴) and ۲۳.۰۹ (SD=۴.۱۸), respectively. The mean scores of core self-evaluations in thenon-smokers and smokers were ۴۳.۴۶ (SD=۶.۷۹) and ۳۷.۹ (SD=۴.۸۲), respectively (p<۰.۰۰۱).Finally, results showed that there is no relation between smoking status, gender, and educationlevel on the core self-evaluations and sensation seeking. However, it was shown that the meanscore of core self-evaluations for males and females is statistically different (P<۰.۰۰۵).Conclusion: According to the findings, smokers reported lower core self-evaluations and highersensation seeking than non-smokers. By designing and implementing appropriate psychologicalinterventions aimed at increasing core self-evaluations (increasing the traits of locus of control,self-esteem, self-efficacy, and reducing nervousness) and reducing sensation seeking, we can helpprevent and reduce high-risk behaviors such as smoking.

کلیدواژه ها:

Core Self-Evaluations ، Personality Trait ، Sensation Seeking ، Smoking