Rationale and Aim

Due to its increasing popularity, adolescent vaping is a growing public health concern and topic of research. Whilst previous systematic reviews have investigated prevalence, risk factors, and regional patterns, there remains a lack of global synthesis explaining the motivators and behavioural drivers of this behaviour. This information is crucial, as it is the basis for behavioural interventions and public health policies.

Under the supervision of Dr. Maryam Ba-Break, myself and two visiting student researchers will conduct a systematic review, aiming to systematically synthesise global evidence on the motivations, behavioural drivers, and social influences associated with e-cigarette use among adolescents.

Research Questions

1. What motivations lead adolescents to initiate or use e-cigarettes?

2. What behavioural, social, and environmental factors influence adolescent vaping?

3. What perceptions and beliefs about e-cigarettes do adolescents report?

4. What role do social media, advertising, and marketing play in adolescent vaping behaviour?

5. What conceptual or behavioural frameworks have been used to explain adolescent vaping?

Outputs and Impact

By screening for high-quality, relevant studies, we hope to produce a strong review of the current literature, including various kinds of qualitative and quantitative research. We will strive to produce a high-quality research report and poster, allowing our research to be disseminated at conferences, and potentially published.

This project addresses the growing public health concern of adolescent vaping. By identifying key drivers of vaping behaviour, the findings will support the development of targeted prevention strategies, particularly in school-based interventions.

Motivation

As a psychology student, I am fascinated by the motivations and influences of health behaviours, and the ability of psychological research to shed light on important issues, such as adolescent e-cigarette use. Having been fortunate enough to live in three different countries, and visit many more, I have seen firsthand how much vaping has infiltrated the lives of adolescents globally, and I hope our work is able to advise interventions and policies to protect young people worldwide from the health risks of vaping.