Prevention of Cigarette Smoking: Effect of Information about the Negative Social Effects of Smoking
Keywords:
SmokingAbstract
Adolescents who are contemplating beginning to smoke may not be aware of the social disadvantages of being a smoker. It was hypothesized that adolescents, given the opportunity to learn about and experience the negative social effects of smoking, would be less likely to intend to begin smoking. Middle school students participated in a smoking prevention program using role playing of scripts dealing with the negative social effects of smoking. These interventiongroup students were compared with a control group of students before the intervention, immediately following the intervention, and 5 weeks following the intervention. The students in the intervention group showed more negative beliefs about the social consequences of smoking and were less likely to plan to start smoking than the students in the control group at both immediate posttest and at the 5-week follow-up.
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