Long-term follow-up of a pilot project on smoking prevention with adolescents

• DOI: 10.1007/bf00845253
• Publication Date: 2004-12-23T14:41:12Z
• Authors: Michael J. Telch; Joel D. Killen; Alfred L. McAlister; Cheryl L. Perry; Nathan Maccoby
• Keywords: Male; Adolescent; 4. Education; Pilot Projects; Smoking Prevention; Peer Group; 3. Good health; Leadership; Social Facilitation; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Humans; Female; Follow-Up Studies

Seventh graders (N = 353) in one junior high school received an experimental smoking prevention program aimed at teaching students to resist the social pressures to smoke cigarettes. Seventh graders (N = 217) in another school served as controls. Teams of high-school students trained in basic behavior change skills led seven classroom sessions of instruction in counter-arguing during the school year. Significant differences were found between groups in reported smoking at a 9-month posttest. Results were maintained at 21- and 33-month follow-ups.