Why do effective smoking prevention programs work? Student changes in social cognitive theory constructs

Psychosocial smoking prevention programs can decrease adolescent smoking in itiation. This study determined if the theoretical variables targeted iir a psychosocial smoking prevention program can he improved significantly by p articipation in a smoking prevention program. The Social Cognitive Theory c onstructs examined included behavioral capability to resist positive images of smoking, refusal skill-efficacy total positive refusal expectations and importance. and total negative refusal expectations and importance. The sm oking prevention program had a significant impact on student refusal skill- efficacy and total positive refusal expectations and importance. However, t he program did not affect behavioral capability ro resist positive images o f smoking and total negative refusal expectations and importance. Results f rom the study can be used to improve the impact of psychosocial prevention programs on targeted Social Cognitive Theory constructs and support the con tinued practice of cigarette refusal strategy role-plays, addressing variou s types of pressure and emphasizing positive outcomes from cigarette refusa ls.