Predictors of Middle School Students' Interest in Participating in an Incentive-Based Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program in Connecticut
Date
2014-07
Authors
Morean, Meghan E.
Camenga, Deepa R.
Kong, Grace
Cavallo, Dana A.
Schepis, Ty S.
Krishnan-Sarin, Suchitra
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Abstract
Behavioral incentives have been used to encourage smoking cessation in older adolescents, but the acceptability of incentives to promote a smoke-free lifestyle in younger adolescents is unknown. To inform the development of novel, effective, school-based interventions for youth, we assessed middle school students' interest in participating in an incentive-based tobacco abstinence program. We surveyed 988 students (grades 6-8) attending three Connecticut middle schools to determine whether interest in program participation varied as a function of (1) intrapersonal factors (i.e., demographic characteristics (sex, age, race), smoking history, and trait impulsivity) and/or (2) aspects of program design (i.e., prize type, value, and reward frequency). Primary analyses were conducted using multiple regression. A majority of students (61.8%) reported interest in program participation. Interest did not vary by gender, smoking risk status, or offering cash prizes. However, younger students, non-Caucasian students, behaviorally impulsive students, and students with higher levels of self-regulation were more likely to report interest. Inexpensive awards (e.g., video games) offered monthly motivated program interest. In sum, middle school students reported high levels of interest in an incentive-based program to encourage a tobacco-free lifestyle. These formative data can inform the design of effective, incentive-based smoking cessation and prevention programs in middle schools.
Description
Keywords
tobacco prevention, incentive-based programs, cessation programs, Connecticut, Psychology
Citation
Morean, M. E., Camenga, D. R., Kong, G., Cavallo, D. A., Schepis, T. S., & Krishnan-Sarin, S.. (2014). Predictors of middle school students’ interest in participating in an incentive-based tobacco prevention and cessation program in Connecticut. Journal of Addiction, 2014(915652).
Rights
Rights Holder
© 2014 Meghan E. Morean et al.
Rights License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.