Personality Dimensions and Cigarette Dependence Among Lebanese Young Adults: A Distressed Country Context

Abstract

The influence of personality on cigarette smoking behavior has gained growing attention. Nonetheless, the literature remains unclear to which of the young adults’ personality dimensions play a major role in smoking behavior. Moreover, there is a lack of studies that examined the relationship between personality dimensions and high cigarette dependence, particularly among young adults. In our study, we examined the association between the personality dimensions adopted from the Five Factor Model (FFM) and high cigarette dependence using the Fagerstrom Test for Cigarette Dependence (FTCD) among young adults. In addition, we further investigated the influence of the young adults’ personality dimensions, sociodemographic variables, and lifestyle habits on the behavior of switching to a cheaper cigarette brand because our findings revealed an interesting result that switching to a cheaper cigarette brand during an economic crisis is associated with high cigarette dependence. The current condition in Lebanon offers a unique opportunity to fill the gap in the literature and to study the influence of personality dimensions, sociodemographic characteristics and lifestyle habits on high cigarette dependence and cigarette brand switching behavior of young adults during a severe economic crisis. Using an online survey, 212 university students responded, of which 145 participants were from the private university, and 67 participants were from the public university. The survey was distributed to smokers from one private and one public university to increase the diversity of sociodemographic characteristics in our sample. We find it crucial to diversify our sample because Lebanon is experiencing a severe economic crisis, and thus it is insightful to capture the behavior and responses of smokers of different financial standings and other sociodemographic characteristics. Such diversity in sample’s sociodemographic characteristics can be achieved by including students who are not from an expensive private university. The results of this study revealed that lower levels of the personality dimensions Agreeableness and Conscientiousness are associated with high cigarette dependence, while higher levels of Openness to Experience are associated with high cigarette dependence. Interestingly, our study revealed that smokers who switched to a cheaper cigarette brand are more likely to have high cigarette dependence. Furthermore, we found that smokers from the public university are more likely to have high cigarette dependence than smokers from the private university. Additionally, sociodemographic variables which include having more household members and higher income sufficiency have been found to be associated with high cigarette dependence. Additionally, the lifestyle variable of having more close friends who smoke has been found to be associated with high cigarette dependence, while the lifestyle variable of exercising sometimes or a few days per month has been found to be negatively associated with high cigarette dependence. Moreover, the study revealed that while young adults with higher levels of Extraversion are more likely to switch to a cheaper cigarette brand, young adults with higher levels of Emotional Stability are less likely to switch to a cheaper cigarette brand. This study revealed that young adults who reported a decrease in daily cigarette consumption since the beginning of the economic crisis are more likely to switch to a cheaper cigarette brand alternative, and young adults that reported higher levels of adverse financial impact by the economic crisis are more likely to switch to a cheaper cigarette brand alternative. Nonetheless, our study found that young adults with higher income sufficiency are less likely to switch to a cheaper cigarette brand. Finally, an interesting result is that young adults who reported excessive social media use are less likely to switch to a cheaper cigarette brand alternative.