A TPB-Based Smoking Intervention among Chinese High School Students.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Adolescent Health
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• China faces a high burden of tobacco consumption, with increasing rates among adolescents.
• Existing smoking interventions for high school students in China are limited.
• Adolescent smoking poses a significant public health challenge globally and particularly in China.

Purpose of the Study:

• To deliver and evaluate a brief, theory-based smoking intervention for Chinese high school students.
• To assess the intervention's impact on anti-smoking cognitions, behaviors, and intentions.
• To explore personal change trajectories in smoking behavior over time.

Main Methods:

• A four-session intervention based on the extended theory of planned behavior and life skills training was implemented.
• Class-level randomization was used, involving 106 tenth graders in the intervention group and 101 in the control group.
• Surveys were conducted pre-intervention, post-intervention, and at 6-month follow-up, with data analyzed using MANOVA and latent class analysis.

Main Results:

• The intervention did not significantly alter smoking behavior, intention, or willingness.
• Participants showed improved anti-smoking attitudes and perceived control over smoking.
• Life skills demonstrated general enhancement, and distinct, stable latent classes for smoking behavior, intention, and willingness were identified, independent of the intervention.

Conclusions:

• Targeting attitudinal and control beliefs, alongside enhancing refusal skills, may be beneficial for adolescent smoking prevention.
• Future anti-smoking programs in China should prioritize addressing subjective norms.
• The intervention's limited success highlights the complexity of adolescent smoking behavior change.