The role of Self-efficacy, Time Perspective, and Conformity Pressure in Temptation for Smoking and Substance Use among University Students

Identifying factors which contribute to young adults’ temptation for substance use is a significant step toward prevention of this social harm. The current study aimed to examine the role of a set of personal and social factors and their interaction in shaping temptation for cigarette smoking and substance use among university students. Participants were 766 students at Shahid Beheshti University who responded to self-efficacy and time perspective measures, as well as questions concerning popularity among family and friends, temptation for smoking/substance use, and social pressure. Hierarchical regression analysis was performed to determine predictors of temptation for substance use and smoking. In the first step, demographic variables, in the second step, self-efficacy, time perspective, social popularity, and social pressure, and in the third step the interaction of social pressure with the other predictors were entered. Religiosity, present hedonism, popularity among family, and social pressure predicted temptation for smoking cigarettes. Further, substance temptation was determined by parents’ marital status, religiosity, self-efficacy, social pressure, and the interaction of social pressure with either of the variables gender, perceived morality, self-efficacy, futurism, and present fatalism. As revealed by interactive effects, the effect of social pressure was stronger for men and individuals lower in either self-efficacy, perceived morality, futurism, or present fatalism. Despite the noticeable role of social pressure in shaping temptation for substance use, this effect was moderated by self-efficacy, perceived morality, and time perspective. Therefore, designing interventions targeting these moderators can reduce the harm caused by social pressure.