Positive School Environment Vital In Curbing Teenage Smoking: Study

A study led by Marion Henderson of the MRC social and public health sciences unit in Glasgow revealed that positive and inclusive social environments and the likelihood of teenage pupils taking up smoking are inversely related.

"The social environment of schools, in particular the quality of teacher-pupildefine relationships, pupils' attitude to school and the school's focus on caring and inclusiveness, all influence both boys' and girls' smoking habits," Dr Henderson said.

The study which was conducted on 5,092 pupils in 24 Scottish schools revealed that on average, 25 percent of males and 39 percent of females aged 15-16, reported that they either regularly or occasionally smoked.

Dr Henderson averred, "The social environment of schools, in particular the quality of teacher-pupil relationships, pupil's attitude to school and the school's focus on caring and inclusiveness, all influence both boys' and girls' smoking habits."

Based on the findings of the study Dr Henderson explained that the school environment was instrumental in encouraging or discouraging smoking. So much so that the impact of the school factors influenced smoking even after factors, such as whether pupils lived with both parents and how much personal spending money they had, were taken into consideration.

The study found concrete evidence that there were clear school effects that could be explained by pupils' attitudes towards school, quality of teacher-pupil relationships and school-level affluence.

The study thus clearly suggests that it is advisable to invest in social environment of schools and make the school a positive experience. This will help to reduce the smoking rates, especially amongst boys.

The study suggested that current school-based anti-smoking interventions were mostly futile. For girls their school effect was explained by their rating of teacher-pupil relationships and attitude to school. On the other hand, for boys the size of the school made a difference.