Tobacco Prevention Using Social Skills Education and Puppet Scripts in an After-School Program

Authors

  • Seth Greenman The College at Brockport/SUNY-Brockport
  • Darson Rhodes The College at Brockport/SUNY-Brockport
  • Tessa Gisi Truman State University
  • Hailee Baer Truman State University
  • Parker Heman Truman State University
  • Carol Cox Truman State University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5195/jyd.2021.941

Keywords:

youth development, social skills, social competence, tobacco prevention

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the feasibility of implementing a tobacco use prevention intervention using social skills education and puppet scripts in an afterschool program. A total of 75 K-2 students attending an afterschool program in a rural Midwest area participated in a 4-lesson youth development tobacco prevention curriculum and completed a pre-post tobacco knowledge quiz. Additionally, 10 program mentors completed a pre-post program strengths and difficulties (SDQ) questionnaire on their assigned students. A series of t-tests were computed to examine differences in the pre and post scores of participants on the SDQ subscales, and total scales and descriptive statistics were computed on the tobacco knowledge quiz. Statistically significant differences were noted on 4 pre–post subscales scores of the SDQ and the total SDQ. Use of youth development curriculum using interactive puppet-based strategies implemented in afterschool settings may be a feasible health education strategy.

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Published

2021-12-14

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Section

Program & Practice Articles