Abstract

OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this study was to test the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) in the prediction of smoking cessation intention and smoking cessation behavior among adolescent smokers, in order to provide basic data to develop a future smoking cessation program as a nursing intervention.
METHOD
The study subjects were 80 adolescent smokers who had smoked one cigarette and attended a five-day school smoking cessation program. The data were collected from October 24 to December 21, 1999. The instruments used in this study were the tools developed by Jee (1994) to measure TPB variables such as attitude toward smoking cessation behavior, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, smoking cessation intention, and smoking cessation behavior. The data were analyzed with the SAS/PC program using descriptive statistics, hierarchical multiple regression, and logistic multiple regression.
RESULTS
1. Attitude toward smoking cessation behavior, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control were partially significant in predicting smoking cessation intention. 2. Smoking cessation intention and perceived behavioral control toward smoking cessation behavior did not significantly predict smoking cessation behavior. 3. There were partial interaction effects among the attitude toward smoking cessation behavior, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control in the prediction of smoking cessation intention. 4. There were partial interaction effects between smoking cessation intention and perceiver behavioral control toward smoking cessation behavior in the prediction of smoking cessation behavior.
CONCLUSION
This study partially demonstrated support for the TPB model that was partially useful in predicting smoking cessation intention and smoking cessation behavior among adolescent smokers. Therefore, it is recommended that attitude toward smoking cessation behavior and perceived behavioral control should be considered in developing smoking cessation programs and implementing nursing interventions to change the smoking behavior of adolescent smokers.