Abstract:
Smoking among children and adolescents is in an upward trend, especially
among children and adolescents residing in congested communities, who are considered
a significant risk group. This quasi - experimental research was conducted with the
objective of examing the effects of the Life Skill Application with Parental/Guardian
Support (5As) on Smoking Prevention in Adolescents Living in Congested Communities.
The sample group comprised of adolescents aged 11-14 years old and residing in a total of 5
congested communities in the Bangkok Metropolis. The sample group was divided into
experimental and comparison groups of 30 samples each, and the study was conducted
over a period of 8 weeks, an experimental period of 4 weeks and a follow-up period
of 4 weeks. Data was collected in statistics on percentage, mean, standard deviation, and
t-test.
The research findings revealed that the experimental group had higher preexperiment
mean scores for preventive behavior against smoking than the comparison
group with statistical significance (p-value <.05). When compared within the
experimental group, it was found that the mean scores for stress management and
preventive behavior against smoking were higher than the pre-experiment scores with
statistical significance (p-value<.05). As for the follow-up period, only the scores for
preventive behavior against smoking were higher than before the experiment with
statistical significance (p-value<.05) and, for attitude and decision, post- experimental
scores were higher than for the follow-up period with statistical significance (p-value <
.05). As to the scores of other aspects, these were no different from those of before the
experiment and, no differenced from the experimental group.
Although the arrangement of this application did not trigger the desired
changes in life skill, attitudes, and behaviors, it should be rearranged in terms of
increasing the activities, format, content and period of time for activities with clearer
goal setting and procedures. The period of time for skills training in effectively
reminding adolescents according to the 5As concept for guardians should be extended.
Furthermore, further study should be done on strengthening activities for families in
order to increase perception and understanding about performing activities