NCJ Number
208720
Journal
Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy Volume: 12 Issue: 1 Dated: February 2005 Pages: 19-34
Date Published
February 2005
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This study applied an integrated model of behavior change to adolescents’ intentions to use marijuana occasionally and regularly.
Abstract
Recent data have pointed toward upward trends in marijuana use among high school students both in the United States and the United Kingdom. Research that is theory-based can help determine which factors contribute to marijuana use and which factors to focus on in interventions. The current article presents and applies an integrated model of behavior change to interfere with adolescent’s intentions to use marijuana. The integrated model of behavior change combines key constructs from the theory of reasoned action (TRA), the theory of planned behavior (TPB), the health belief model (HBM), and social cognitive theory (SCT). According to the behavior change model, the key determinants of an individual’s behavior include the intention to engage in the behavior, the possession of skills necessary to engage in the behavior, and the absence of environmental constraints against such behavior. Participants for the study were 600 male and female adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18 years who completed a survey on laptop computers regarding their intentions to use marijuana, as well as their attitudes and beliefs concerning marijuana use. Results indicated that attitudes played a more significant role in the decision to use or not use marijuana than did societal norms or self-efficacy. The findings offer support for the integrated model assumption that exogenous variables will affect intention indirectly. The application of the behavior change model allows for the prioritization and shaping of behavior-change goals focused on these exogenous variables. Tables, notes, references