Smoking Behaviour in Adolescents- GAP Analysis in School Counselling System

Abstract

Despite the presence of extensive research on adolescent high-risk smoking behaviour there is a gap in availability of related interventions at the school level. The aim of this study is to understand the gap in awareness and interventional practices by school counsellors for factors leading to high risk behaviour in adolescents. For the purpose 7 factors, namely, Neurobiology of adolescent brain, Identity styles of adolescents, Stress-Diathesis interaction, Working memory capacity, Internet use, Family relationships and Peer influence that are believed to be contributing to high risk behaviour in adolescents were identified through review of related literature. Later awareness and interventional practices of these 7 factors were assessed through a survey for 100 school counsellors in Delhi NCR, India. Based on data results a Grid for Awareness-Practice was constructed. Basis the grid results, targeted mediations can be designed to increase the awareness of school counsellors about these factors and to ensure their use by them in interactions and interventions with the adolescents.