The intersection of social networks and individual identity in adolescent problem behavior: Pathways and ethnic differences

ABSTRACT We provide a conceptual framework for considering how an individual’s identity is influenced by social groups and an empirical exploration of how identity is related to cigarette smoking and e-cigarette use. We report findings on e-cigarette use and cigarette smoking from studies of adolescents and young adults. Mediation analyses focused on (a) pathways from specific peer crowd membership to tobacco product use, and (b) self-esteem as a pathway for the inverse relationship between ethnic identity and tobacco product use. Overall, the results supported these pathways similarly for combustible cigarettes and e-cigarettes, with some differences in pathways for Asian Americans, Whites, Filipinos, and Native Hawaiians. We conclude that both specific peer group membership and general ethnic identity are important factors for understanding identity process and suggest directions for how identity concepts can help guide future research on the new generation of tobacco products.