The effect of children's self efficacy levels on their pros and cons perception of smoking

Aim: This study particularly aims to analyze the effects of children's self efficacy levels on their pros and cons perception of smoking and therefore, the study was designed as descriptive and cross sectional.Methods: The study data were collected with a Sociodemographic Data Collection Form, The Self-Efficacy Scale for Children and the Decisional Balance Scale. The schools for sampling were selected with cluster sampling method; the schools in provincial districts administered by İzmir Provincial Directorate of National Education were clustered as country schools and urban schools and three provincial districts, two country districts and one urban district, were randomly selected. The schools in those districts, then, were selected by using simple random sampling method. Eventually, the study sample consisted of 288 fifth grade students. The study data were collected in September 2010. ROC analysis was carried out in order to determine the cut off points of the Self Efficacy Scale. The evaluation of the study data was conducted with percentage analysis and t test.Findings: The mean score of pros perception of smoking was found to be 7.24 ± 2.54 for children with higher levels of self efficacy while it was 9.37 ± 5.41 for children with lower levels of self efficacy. The difference between the mean scores of the pros perception was reported to be statistically significant for both children with higher levels of self efficacy and children with lower levels of self efficacy (t=2.117, p=.042). It was further noted that the mean score of the cons perception was 29.00±2.20 for children with higher levels of self efficacy. On the other hand, it was found to be 27.26±4.31 for children with lower levels of self efficacy. The study results illustrated a statistically significant relation between the mean scores of cons perception of smoking for both children with higher levels of self efficacy and children with lower levels of self efficacy (t=2.206, p=.035).Results: In light of the study results, it was reported that children with higher levels of self efficacy had lower scores of pros perception of smoking and higher scores of cons perception. On the contrary, the study results confirmed that children with lower levels of self efficacy had higher scores of pros perception and lower scores of cons perception.Keywords: Self Efficacy, Decisional Balance, Smoking, Child