Examining self-perceptions between college students who do and do not vape: an online cross-sectional study

Vape use among young adults remains a public health concern. Interventions may need to evaluate aspects related to the self to best support individuals. We hypothesized that individuals who vape, compared to those who do not, would report lower self-esteem, higher self-alienation, and increased likelihood to report a concealable stigmatized identity (CSI). This online cross-sectional study recruited undergraduate students ( N = 378), and assessed self-esteem, self-alienation, general (non-vape-specific) CSI status, and vape use. Those who vape filled out vape-specific measures and wrote about their vape use which was thematically coded. Contrary to hypotheses, participants who vape reported higher self-esteem, marginally lower self-alienation, and an increased likelihood of a CSI. Thematic coding revealed social reasons as a primary motivation for vape use. These results suggest the role of social connection in engaging in vape use, underscoring the need for interventions that address identity and social belonging.