FACTORS INFLUENCING PREVENTIVE BEHAVIORS FOR DRUG ADDICTION AMONG MALE STUDENTS OF EXTENDED EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY SCHOOLS

Abstract

          Drug addiction is a significant problem and a threat to the population, especially young population. It causes negative impacts to drug users themselves, their families, society, economy, and national security. Promoting preventive behaviors for drug addiction is crucial. The purposes of this predictive correlational study were to describe preventive behaviors of drug addiction and its influencing factors including knowledge, attitude, self-efficacy for preventing drug addiction, and social support among adolescents of extended opportunity schools. The sample consisted of 169 students attended the extended opportunity schools in Khaosaming district, Trat province. The research instruments included self-reported questionnaires to collect data regarding students’ demographic characteristics, knowledge, attitude, self-efficacy for preventing drug addiction, social support, and addiction preventive behaviors. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression were employed to analyze data.

            The results showed that mean sore of preventive behaviors for drug addiction in this sample was 26.09 (S.D.=6.08). The preventive behaviors were in moderate and high levels (51.50% and 46.70%, respectively). Results of multiple regression analyses revealed that self-efficacy for preventing drug addiction, and social support together explained 17.9% (R2 = .179, p < .05) of the variance for preventive behaviors towards drug addiction. Self-efficacy for preventing drug addiction (ß = .267, p < .01), and social support (ß = .246, p < .01) were statistically significant predictors of preventive behaviors for drug addiction.This study provided a backdrop for the implementation of nursing interventions that will be designed to reshape students’ self-efficacy towards preventing drug addiction and strengthening their social support.