Prediction of Adolescents’ Cigarette Smoking Intentions: A Test of the Mediational Adequacy of the Ajzen-Fishbein Model

The objective of this study is to test the mediational adequacy of the Ajzen-Fishbein (1975) model. Triandis has proposed a competing model for the prediction of intentions. Intentions are predicted by the person’s affect (A) toward the behavior, social factors (S), and the value of perceived consequences (C), according to the following equation:

BI = W

1

A + W

2

S + W

3

C

.

$${\text{BI = W}}_{\text{1}} {\text{A + W}}_{\text{2}} {\text{S + W}}_{\text{3}} {\text{C}}{\text{.}}$$

As with the Ajzen and Fishbein model, the relative contribution of the three components is determined by multiple regression procedures.