A psychosocial approach to smoking prevention for urban black youth

Despite the high rates of smoking-related cancers among black Americans, little is known about the type of smoking prevention program that might be effective with black youth. The current study pilot-tested a promising smoking prevention approach to determine its feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness. A total of 608 students in nine predominantly black urban junior high schools were stratified by community and randomly assigned to treatment and control conditions. Students in the treatment condition participated in a 12-session smoking prevention program which taught resistance skills and general life skills. Process data indicated that this prevention approach was feasible and acceptable to students, teachers, and administrators. Outcome data indicated that this program reduced the proportion of children who smoked in the past month by 56 percent, and it increased knowledge of the adverse consequences of smoking and normative expectations concerning adult and peer smoking. These results are discussed in terms of their implications for prevention and modifications which might further strengthen the efficacy of this approach for urban black adolescents.