Joint Trajectories of Smoking and Depressive Mood: Associations With Later Low Perceived Self-Control and Low Well-Being

This longitudinal study examines comorbid trajectories of cigarette smoking and depressive mood from adolescence to adulthood and its association with low perceived self-control and low well-being in adulthood. Participants (N = 607) were interviewed at 6 time waves. Growth mixture modeling (GMM) determined membership in joint trajectory groups of comorbid smoking and depressive mood ranging from mean age 14 to mean age 32 years. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the associations between earlier trajectory group memberships and low perceived self-control and low well-being in adulthood. Trajectory groups characterized by earlier, comorbid chronic/heavy smoking and chronic/high depressive mood were most at risk for low perceived self-control and low well-being in adulthood. Counseling for adolescents and young adults with low perceived self-control and low well-being should address smoking and depressive mood. Interventions to reduce smoking and depressive mood may result in increased self-control and well-being.