The finding also suggest that attitude toward smoking was an important predictor for all smoking stages. However, the prevalence estimate was found to be a strong predictor of only the first stage of smoking (susceptible pre-contemplation stage). It is noteworthy that the effects of parental issues are strong factors influencing the earliest stages of the smoking process, while peer factors are strongly predictive of the more progressive stages of early smoking behavior. In addition, parental approval of smoking may be more important than parent smoking behavior itself. The effects of offers to smoke are strong for starting smoking behavior, while those of peer smoking are strong for continuing to smoke. These results are similar to those found in prior studies.