The ASSIST smoking prevention programme in adolescent social networks beyond the school setting: an exploratory study
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1
University of Stirling, United Kingdom
2
University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Publication date: 2018-03-01
Tob. Induc. Dis. 2018;16(Suppl 1):A400
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ABSTRACT
Background:
ASSIST
(A Stop Smoking in Schools Trial) is a peer-led, smoking prevention, social
network intervention developed in the UK. ASSIST trains students (aged 11-13)
to work as peer supporters to disseminate non-smoking norms in their year. To
date, evaluation of ASSIST has focused on delivery within schools only. This study
sought to address this gap by using qualitative social network research to map
the social networks of peer supporters to explore the extent, nature, content
and perceived impact of message diffusion beyond the school year.
Methods:
Qualitative, face to
face interviews conducted in school with 16 young people aged 12-13 incorporating
the creation of 'egocentric sociograms' to collect network data. Sociograms were then
used to create a qualitative narrative to explore the extent, and perceived impact,
of message diffusion in the wider social networks of peer supporters. Computer
packages UCINET and NVivo were used to conduct analysis.
Results:
Peer
supporter networks were fairly large with a total of 155 people. Peer
supporters recalled having conversations about smoking with 102 network members,
two thirds (n=63) of which were with people out with their school year (e.g.
parents, siblings, other family members, out of school friends, neighbours). Thematic
analysis of conversation content revealed three types of conversation:
protecting non-smokers from starting to smoke; encouraging smokers to stop; and
protecting people in wider social networks. Perceived impact was noted for 37
people in peer supporter networks, with examples of positive and negative
impact, focusing on the dynamics of a child speaking to an adult.
Conclusions:
Smoking prevention message
diffusion was not limited to school year, reaching in to the wider networks of
peer supporters. This creates learning opportunities for the future delivery of
ASSIST or other similar peer-led interventions for smoking prevention, and the
role of social network interventions in prevention.