This study examined the effects of personality style, anxiety, and depression on the reasons for smoking reported by active smokers. Type A individuals with high trait anxiety viewed smoking as a way to stimulate themselves, whereas Type B individuals claimed that they smoked in order to relax. No such relationship was found for smokers who were not anxious. Smokers who had a high degree of depressive symptomatology were more likely to smoke for stimulation than were smokers with a low degree of depressive symptomatology. These results support Warburton's theory (1988) that smoking is an active coping strategy maintained through nicotine's psychological benefits.'This article is based in part on a Master's thesis completed by the first author. 'Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Emmanuel Akillas,

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