Intervention Effects of a School-Based Smoking Cessation Program on Nicotine Dependence and Mental Health Among Korean Adolescent Smokers: The Experience New Days (END) Program

초록

Objectives: This study evaluated the effectiveness of Experience New Days (END), a school-based smoking cessation program, on smoking dependence and mental health among Korean adolescent smokers. Methods: A single-group pretest-posttest study was conducted from April to June 2024 with 40 adolescent smokers from three high schools. The program consisted of weekly 50 min sessions over an 8-week period. Smoking dependence was measured using FTND and CDS-12, while mental health was assessed through PHQ-9 and GAD-7. Urine cotinine test was used as a biomarker. Results: The results showed significant improvements with moderate to large effect sizes in nicotine dependence (p = 0.033, d = 0.25), cigarette dependence (p = 0.034, d = 0.31), depression (p = 0.013, d = 0.37), and anxiety (p = 0.043, d = 0.40). Daily cigarette consumption decreased by an average of 2.57 cigarettes per day (p = 0.002, d = 0.52), with 15% of participants achieving complete smoking cessation and 42.5% showing reduced smoking behaviors. Conclusions: The results suggest that the END program was associated with reduced dependence and improved mental health outcomes among adolescent smokers. The positive memory reinforcement had a beneficial effect on mental health.

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