Influence of an objective measure on self-reports of behavior

Abstract

1,563 8th graders and their mothers completed self-report measures of cigarette smoking, and carbon monoxide levels in alveolar air were taken as an objective measure of smoking behavior. Adolescents who had smoked recently (according to their CO level) reported significantly greater amounts of smoking if they were informed about the biochemical measure before completing the questionnaire. Self-reports by adolescents who had not smoked recently (according to CO levels) and self-reports by mothers were not influenced by awareness of the objective measure. (18 ref) (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)