Effectiveness of the Plastic Waste Separation Program with Vichai's Seven Color Balls Model among Students at Sirindhorn College of Public Health Phitsanulok
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Abstract
This quasi-experimental research with the two-group pretest-posttest design, aimed to examine the effectiveness of the plastic waste separation program with vichai's seven color balls model among students at Sirindhorn College of Public Health Phitsanulok. The sample consisted of female students from the first to third years, with 98 participants equally divided into an experimental group and a control group through simple random sampling without replacement. The experimental group participated in activities based on the program, while the control group continued with their usual academic activities, such as attending regular classes or conducting self-study. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire consisting of five parts: demographic characteristics, attitude toward plastic waste segregation, subjective norms, intention to segregate plastic waste, and actual plastic waste segregation behavior. The item–objective congruence values ranged from .60 to 1.00. The reliability coefficients for the attitude toward plastic waste segregation scale, subjective norms scale, intention to segregate plastic waste scale, and actual behavior in plastic waste segregation
were .75, .86, .96, and .95, respectively. The data analysis included frequency distribution, percentage, mean, standard deviation, chi-squared test, Fisher’s exact test, independent samples t-test, and paired samples t-test.
The results showed that 1) before the intervention, there were no significant differences between the experimental and control groups in attitude toward plastic waste segregation, subjective norms, intention to segregate plastic waste, and actual plastic waste segregation behavior; after the intervention, the experimental group had significantly higher mean scores in attitude toward plastic waste segregation, subjective norms, intention to segregate plastic waste, and actual plastic waste segregation behavior than the control group, with statistical significance at the .05 level; and 2) after the intervention, the experimental group had significantly higher mean scores in attitude toward plastic waste segregation, subjective norms, intention to segregate plastic waste, and actual plastic waste segregation behavior than before the intervention, with statistical significance at the .05 level, whereas the control group had no significant differences in attitude toward plastic waste segregation, subjective norms, intention to segregate plastic waste, and actual plastic waste segregation behavior compared with before the intervention.
Therefore, this research indicates the developed program effectively enhanced plastic waste segregation behavior. Consequently, relevant agencies are encouraged to implement the program more broadly among diverse target populations and to adapt it for application in other areas where appropriate.
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