Psychosomatic Medicine 32:469-486 (1970)
© 1970 American Psychosomatic Society

Psychologic Aspects of Cigarette Smoking in Men

A Clinical Evaluation

¹ Division of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine

Address for reprint requests: M. Jacobs, PhD, Division of Psychiatry, 80 East Concord St, Boston, Mass 02118

Heavy cigarette smoking in men is theorized to be associated with an oralimpulsive personality constellation. Clinical interviews with 130 subjects, representing non-, former, mild and heavy smokers, supported previous questionnaire findings that the latter group is characterized by features of: defiance, impulsiveness, danger-seeking, neurotic emotional lability and oral preoccupation. In this sample, heavy smokers' relationships with their fathers were more disturbed than were the other groups' paternal relationships. Intensive follow-up interviews with a small selection of subjects indicated factors associated with starting and stopping smoking and an alternate personality pattern in heavy smokers previously seen as false negatives on the questionnaires. This subsample handled underlying oral conflict with traits of obsessiveness, guardedness and cautiousness. Former smokers seem able to discontinue the habit when personally meaningful, positive events occur and/or when their health is actually threatened. Both life events and factors of personal resourcefulness are relevant in understanding why some men can give up the habit and others cannot.