Behavioral intention to avoid drug abuse works as protective factor among adolescent

Young people engage in risky behaviors unintentionally and these behaviors might be reduced or inhibited by preventative behaviors. Although adolescents' risky behaviors are known as unplanned or unintentional, preventative behaviors are intentional. The aim of the present study was to assess students' behavior intentions to avoid drug abuse. This study was a cross sectional design that male high school students [n= 176] in Tehran, Iran completed a questionnaire assessing behavior intentions to avoid drug abuse, self-control, selfefficacy, perceived susceptibility, and negative attitudes toward drug abuse, peer resistance skills and substance abuse related behaviors. Peer resistance skills, negative attitude toward drugs, perceived self- efficacy, and high selfcontrol were four predictors on intention against drug abuse. Moreover, students' educational status, interested in school and truancy and spending with friends were other predictors for intention against drug abuse. Healthy behaviors are intentional. As a result improving behavior intentions to avoid drug abuse would act as a protective factor for preventing drug abuse among adolescents as well as preventing high-risk behaviors

[Assessment of substance abuse behaviors in adolescents: integration of self-control into extended parallel process model]

An effective preventive health education program on drug abuse can be delivered by applyingbehavior change theories in a complementary fashion. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of integrating self-control into Extended ParallelProcess Model in drug substance abuse behaviors. A sample of 189 governmental high school studentsparticipated in this survey. Information was collected individually by completing researcher designedquestionnaire and a urinary rapid immuno-chromatography test for opium and marijuana.The results of the study show that 6.9% of students used drugs [especially opium and marijuana] andalso peer pressure was determinant factor for using drugs. Moreover the EPPM theoretical variables of perceivedseverity and perceived self-efficacy with self-control are predictive factors to behavior intention againstsubstance abuse. In this manner, self-control had a significant effect on protective motivation and perceivedefficacy. Low self- control was a predictive factor of drug abuse and low self-control students had drug abuseexperience.The results of this study suggest that an integration of self-control into EPPM can be effective inexpressing and designing primary preventive programs against drug abuse, and assessing abused behavior anddeviance behaviors among adolescent population, especially risk seekers