Predictors of Participation in Two Different Smoking Cessation Interventions at School

Abstract

Multinomial logistic regression was used to identify demographic and psychosocial characteristics of Belgian secondary school students (N= 493), aged 16 to 20, to predict which students choose to participate in a group-based smoking cessation program (five 1-hour weekly sessions), requested self-help quitting material, or did neither (comparison group). The participation rate was 29% for requesting self-help material and 21% for participation in the group program. The analysis indicated that students choosing to participate in the smoking cessation program were more likely to be in the 12th grade, technical students, and daily smokers. They were more likely to believe that quittingwould be difficult and reported stronger intentions to quit nowand to participate in the group program. Students requesting the self-help materials were less likely to be general students but more likely to see the benefits of quitting; they also reported stronger intentions to participate in the group program.