Abstract
Aim: To test an extended version of Pomerleau's (1997) hypothesis that children with mental health problems are at higher risk of smoking in preadolescence and adolescence.
Findings: None of the potential risk factors of gender, childhood disadvantage or childhood mental health problems predicted onset of smoking in pre-adolescence. Daily smoking at age 15 was best predicted by smoking in preadolescence, being female and experiencing childhood disadvantage. Pre-adolescent mental health was only weakly predictive of later smoking and this association appeared to be confounded with background disadvantage.
Conclusions: Little support was found for the extension of Pomerleau's (1997) hypothesis to childhood mental health. The findings also run counter to recent suggestions for targeting smoking prevention at groups of children with mental health disorders.