Effects of the Program for Protection the New Smokers among Secondary School Students in Roi-Et Municipal, Roi-Et Province

Abstract

The number of teenagers who smoke, especially students in secondary school tends to increase.
Therefore, there should be a way to protect this problem. The objective of this Quasi-experimental
research is to study the effects of a program for protecting new smokers among secondary school
students. There are activities which can help using six pairs of life skills which are creativity and

critical thinking, effective communication and building relationship with people, self-awareness
and sympathy for others, emotional and stress management, self-esteem and social responsibility,
problem-solving and making decision to not smoke. This Quasi-experimental research was offered
to the secondary school in Roi-Et municipality of Roi-Et province. There were 40 students in
experimental group and 40 students in comparison group. The data was collected from a questionnaire
which is analyzed by descriptive statistics; mean, percentage, standard deviation (S.D.), comparison
of average scores, Paired t-test, Independent Sample t-test at a statistically significant level 0.05.
The result after the experiment was higher than before the experiment and higher than students
in the comparison group at statistically signifif icant p<0.001. Students in the experimental group could
do well in six pairs of life skills which are creativity and critical thinking, effective communication
and building relationship with people, self-awareness and sympathy for others, emotional and stress
management, self-esteem and social responsibility, problem-solving and making decision to not smoke
and having good behaviors to avoid smoking. In conclusion, the factors that help support students
to change smoking behaviors is the appropriate techniques which are the six pairs of life skills
that students can apply to daily life and be stronger in their hearts. Therefore, the program for protecting
the new smokers among secondary school students is truly appropriate to apply in daily life to
protect and avoid smoking among secondary students effectively.