It’s Harmless! The Reasons Behind Vaping Behavior Among Youth: Risks, Benefits, and Associations with Psychological Distress
It’s Harmless! The Reasons Behind Vaping Behavior Among Youth: Risks, Benefits, and Associations with Psychological Distress

Summary/Abstract: The present study aimed to assess the relations between the perceived benefits and risks of vaping, social anxiety, social media use, exposure to e-cigarette advertising on social media, and the use of e-cigarettes. Moreover, we assessed the relation between e-cigarette use and psychological distress (i.e., depression, anxiety, stress) and the mediating role of e-cigarette use in the relation between perceived benefits and risks of vaping, social anxiety, social media, on the one hand, and psychological distress, on the other hand. A sample of 337 participants (Mage = 20; SD = 1.20) completed scales for measuring the above-mentioned variables. The results showed significant relations between the benefits of vaping, social media use, exposure to e-cigarette advertising on social media, and e-cigarette use. Moreover, e-cigarette use mediated the relationship between perceived benefits, anxiety, and stress. The theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.

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