The Effect of Education Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior on the Adoption of Smoking Prevention Behaviors in Female Students at Tonekabon Islamic Azad University in ۲۰۱۸

Background: With the rising prevalence of smoking among university students, coupled withthe efficacy of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) in smoking prevention, the current studywas conducted to assess the effect of education based on the said theory on adopting smokingpreventive behaviors among female university students.Materials and Methods: This experimental interventional study, conducted in ۲۰۱۸,involved ۱۱۴ female students of Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon Branch (interventionand control groups, each with ۵۷ students). The study data were collected using a demographicquestionnaire and the YRBSS ۲۰۱۳, Fishbein, and Ajzen international questionnaire, focusingon the TPB components (intent, attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control).The data collection occurred in two stages: Before and one month after the intervention. Theeducational intervention was delivered in three sessions featuring lectures and group discussionmethods. The collected data were analyzed by relevant tests using SPSS software, version ۲۱.Results: Before the intervention, no significant relationships were observed between preventivebehavior measures and the TPB components in the experimental and control groups (P <۰.۰۵).However, one month after the intervention, there was a statistically significant increase in theexperimental group’s mean scores of all TPB components and preventive behaviors (P<۰.۰۵).Conclusion: Regarding the effectiveness of education based on the theory of planned behaviorin reducing the intent to smoke among female students, using this intervention seems to be anappropriate preventive strategy.

Keywords:

Education , Theory of planned behavior , Smoking , Students