Smoking Can Increase Depressive Symptoms in Teens
While some teenagers may puff on cigarettes to "self-medicate" against the blues，scientists at the University of Toronto1 and the University of Montreal2 have found that smoking may actually —1— depressive symptoms in some teens.
“This observational study is one of the few to examine the perceived —2—
benefits of smoking among teens,” says lead researcher Michael Chaiton，a research associate3 at the Ontario Tobacco Research Unit of the University of Toronto．“—3— cigarettes may appear to have self-medicating —4— or to improve mood，in the long term4 we found that teens who started to smoke reported5 higher depressive symptoms.”
As part of the study，some 662 high school teenagers completed up to 20 questionnaires —5— their use of cigarettes to affect mood．Secondary schools were selected to provide a mix of French and English participants，urban and rural schools，and schools —6— in high, moderate and low socioeconomic neighbourhoods6．
Participants were divided into three —7—: never smokers；smokers who did not use cigarettes to self-medicate，improve mood or physical —8—；smokers who used cigarettes to self-medicate．Depressive symptoms were measured using a scale that asked how felt too fired to do things：had —9— going to sleep or staying —10—；felt unhappy，sad，or depressed；felt hopeless about the future；felt vexed，antsy or tense；and worried too much about things．
"Smokers who used cigarettes as mood —11— had higher risks of elevated depressive symptoms than teens who had never smoked," says co-researcher Jennifer 0’Loughlin，a professor at the University of Montreal Department of Social and Preventive Medicine7．"0ur study found that teen smokers who reported emotional benefits from smoking are at higher risk of —12— depressive symptoms."
The —13— between depression and smoking exists —14— 一among teens that use
cigarettes to feel better．"It’s —15— to emphasize that depressive symptom scores8 were higher among teenagers who reported emotional benefits from smoking after they began to smoke," says Dr．Chaiton．
詞匯：
Puff v．遇到
self-medicate v．自我治療
vexed adj．煩慮的
antsy adj．坐立不安的，煩躁的
blues n．抑郁
注釋：
1．the University of Toront0：(加拿大)多倫多大學(xué)
2．the University of Montreal：(加拿大)蒙特利爾大學(xué)
3．research associate：助理研究員
4．in the long term：從長遠看
5．reported：用的是主動態(tài)，是自我“報告”的意思。研究人員用問卷的方式進行調(diào)查。被調(diào)查的青少年自我填寫問題的答案。
6．high，moderate and low socioeconomic neighbourhoods：高檔、中檔和低檔社區(qū)
7．the University of Montreal Department of Social and Preventive Medicine：蒙特利爾大學(xué)社會和預(yù)防醫(yī)學(xué)系。此處the University of Montreal是定語，修飾Department of Social and Preventive Medicine。
8．scores：得分。指問卷的統(tǒng)計數(shù)字。
練習(xí)：
1．A examine B increase C decrease D diagnose
2．A social B financial C emotional D political
3．A Whatever B Although C Whenever D what
4．A effects B methods C steps D directions
5．A beside B beyond C in D about
6．A exposed B expanded C located D detected
7．A groups B sets C species D versions
8．A world B activity C state D beauty
9．A time B courage C energy D trouble
10．A asleep B awake C still D silent
11．A reducers B improvers C creators D removers
12．A changing B identifying C developing D overcoming
13．A difference B association C cooperation D agreement
14．A occasionally B scarcely C probably D principally
15．A illogical B unscientific C meaningless D important