The Study of Smoking Behavior in College Women : A Grounded Theory Approach

일부 여대생의 흡연경험에 관한 연구

The purpose of this study was to explore the process of smoking behavior of college women with a history of smoking. The subject were 48 female students selected by theoretical sampling from a womens' university in Korea. The data were collected by in-depth interviews using audiotape recordings done over a period of seven months. The data were analyzed simultaneously by a constant comparative method in which new data were continuously coded into categories and properties according to strauss and corbin's methodology. Analysis of the data resulted in identification of 15 categories representing 34 concepts. The results of this study were as follows : 1. Smoking in college women is caused by either curiosity or antagonism toward male smokers 2. The meaning(phenomena) of smoking behavior in college women is justifiable or regretable 3. Smoking occurs in connection with eating, during period of psychological conflict or as an habitual practice 4. Smoking behavior is related to the perception of harmfulness to health, influence of others and the accessability of cigarettes. 5. College women experinced a change in their state of health, emotional relaxation, change in their social relationships It is suggested that the results of this study may contribute to the development of strategies for the purpose of decreasing smoking behavior among female college students.