The Effect of School- based Interventions on Refusal Skills (Say NO) for Junior High School Students

Adolescents are strongly influenced by environmental stimuli and will do risky behaviors. Most of the health risk behaviors which are the leading cause of mortality of youth and adults is established and reinforced during adolescence ages. Life skills training (LST) is the best way to promote the psyco-social abilities in the protection unit, called “school”. One of the LST program competences is refusal skill or “saying no”. Therefore this study was performed to determine the effectiveness of school- based intervention programs on refusal skills (Say NO) for junior high schools’ students. In this study semi- experimental research a pre/post test control group design was applied and conducted on 417 students in grades 2 and 3 of Maragheh's junior high schools that were selected randomly and after the pre-test they were divided into 2 groups. In the case group LST classes of 7 sessions, and their refusal skills were measured using Dr. Botvin's healthy behavior questionnaire. Data were analyzed by SPSS /15 and t-test, ANOVA, χ2. In the case group there were significant differences between pre and post test mean scores of refusal skills. So that after performing school- based interventions refusal skills development in case group had been increased) P<0.01). Differences between post test’s and pre test’s mean and standard deviations of this group was 2.50 ± 5.58; it was _ 0.04 ±5.53 for control group (P<0.01). After intervention the refusal skill scores was significantly increased but in case group but it was decreased in control group. In the case group LST had positive effect on student's refusal skills. Then it is recommended to be used in school as a protective factor for drug abuse.