EL PROCESO DE ADOPCIÓN DE PRECAUCIONES EN LA PREVENCIÓN SECUNDARIA DEL CONSUMO DE CIGARRILLO EN ESTUDIANTES UNIVERSITARIOS

The present study, that used a quasi-experimental pre-test post-test design for paired groups, aimed at assessing the effect of an intervention based on the so called Precautions Adoption Process (PAP) in the reduction or cessation of smoking in university students from three Higher Education Institutions. The research took into account some key elements of PAP: motivation, vulnerability perception, susceptibility, cost and benefi t, decisional balance and change, as a result of cognitive functioning and planning in the fi rst place, and later to the passage through seven consecutive stages. Starting from these elements, an intervention program was developed and implemented in six work sessions. At the end, results from pre-test and post –test measurements of both the experimental and control groups were compared. In order to classify participants for each one of these groups several instruments were used: The Classifi cation of Cigarette Consumers Questionnaire (C4) by Londono, Rodriguez & Gantiva (in press), the Expectations Regarding Cigarettes Questionnaire (CEC) by Londono & Rodriguez (2007) and the Motivation Questionnaire (Temptation). Results showed signifi cant differences between groups in the level of consumption, expectations and motivation (Londono & Rodriguez, 2007). These and other important fi ndings are discussed.