Ilknur Bektas

Effects of Student Perceptions of Social Skills on their Perception of Smoking

BACKGROUND This study was conducted as a descriptive-correlational exercise with the aim of determining the effect of student perceptions of social skills on their pro and con perceptions of smoking. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study sample comprised 106 students at 6th, 7th and 8th grades in three primary schools. The data were collected through socio-demographic data collection form, Social Skill Perception Form and Child Decisional Balance Scale. Data were evaluated by percentage calculation, Student t test and correlation analysis. RESULTS While the point average of pro perception of smoking of the students with a high point average of social skill perception, was 8.6±3.1, in those with a low social skill perception point average it was 10.7±4.2, the difference being significant(p=0.012). The respective point averages of con perceptions were 26.8±3.7 and 23.5±3.3, again significant (p=0.000). While a positive medium level (r=0.410) relationship was determined between the point average of social skill perception and con perception of smoking, a negative low level (r=0.281) relationship was determined with the pro perception of smoking. CONCLUSIONS As the social skill perception point average increases, childrens con perceptions of smoking increase and their pro perceptions decrease.

Effects of adolescents’ self-efficacy and social anxiety on attitudes toward pros and cons of smoking

ABSTRACT This cross-sectional, descriptive research study was conducted in order to examine the impacts of adolescents’ levels of social anxiety and self-efficacy on their perceptions of the pros and cons of smoking. Students (n = 219) in 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grades provided demographic details and completed the Middle School Self-Efficacy Scale, the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents, and the Decisional Balance Scale. We analyzed the data using Pearson’s correlations, multiple regression, and logistic regression. Of the adolescents, 52.8% with a positive perception of smoking were current smokers and 2.2% with a negative perception of smoking were current smokers. Further, 38.9% of females and 61.1% of males perceived that smoking is beneficial to them, whereas 47% of females and 53% of males perceived that smoking cigarette is harmful to them. Adolescents’ high self-efficacy, low social anxiety, and mothers’ high level of education were associated with perceiving the cons of smoking. Additional experimental studies are needed to increase adolescents’ self-efficacy levels, decrease their social anxiety, and teach them life skills. Furthermore, the effects of these precautions on the smoking-related perceptions of adolescents should be examined via experimental studies.

The psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the smoking outcome expectation scale and the anti-smoking self-efficacy scale for early adolescents

ABSTRACT This study aimed to analyze the validity and reliability of the Smoking Outcome Expectation Scale and Anti-Smoking Self-Efficacy Scale for Early Adolescents in Turkey. The sample of the study included a total of 548 students. The data were collected using a demographic data collection form, the Smoking Outcome Expectation Scale, and the Anti-Smoking Self-Efficacy Scale (ASSES) for Early Adolescents. ASSES consists of 15 items, and SOES consists of six items. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of the ASSES section and its subscales were .93, .94, .89, and .75, respectively. These values were found to be.70, .85, and .91 in the SOES section and its subscales. Both sections’ test–retest correlation coefficients were found to be higher than .25 for all items. The factor loads ranged between .45 and .76 in the ASSES section and between .87 and .95 in the SOES section. The goodness-of-fit indices of both sections were above .90, and their root mean square error of approximation (RMSA) values was <.08. These results indicate that the scale is a valid and reliable tool for use with early adolescents in Turkey.

The Effect of Adolescents’ Internet Addiction on Smartphone Addiction

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of adolescents’ Internet addiction levels on smartphone addiction. Methods: This study included 609 students from three high schools that are located in western Turkey. Numbers, percentages, and averages were used to evaluate the sociodemographic data. The Kolmogorov–Smirnov and Shapiro–Wilk tests were used to determine whether the data had a normal distribution. Results: The average age of the participants was 12.3 ± 0.9 years. Of them, 52.3% were male, and 42.8% were 10th graders. All participants had smartphones, and 89.4% of them connected to the Internet continuously with their smartphones. The study found that there was a statistically significant correlation between Internet addiction and smartphone addiction. Originality and Value: It was determined that male adolescents with high levels of Internet addiction also had high smartphone addiction levels. On the other hand, sociodemographic variables had no statistically significant effect on smartphone addiction. A number of studies in the relevant literature examined the effects of Internet addiction on adolescents’ smartphone addiction. However, findings of this study are unique because they are specific to the Turkish culture, and there is a limited database in Turkey regarding this issue. The researchers believe that the findings of this study will be beneficial to show the importance of the issue in the international arena and to guide further studies to prevent this addiction because there is no reliable database about smartphone addiction in Turkey.

The effect of symptom frequency on the fatigue and sleep quality of adolescent cancer patients

ABSTRACT This study was performed in order to determine the effects of frequency of symptoms of adolescents with cancer on sleeping quality and fatigue. In order to collect the data, the Children Information Form, Symptom Evaluation Form, the Fatigue Assessment Scale for Pediatric Oncology Patients Between the Ages of 13 and 18 years, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were used. Percentage calculations, mean, one-way variance analysis, and advanced analysis such as Scheffe tests were used. p < 0.05 was accepted as the significance. As the symptom frequencies increased in adolescents, total fatigue scale and its subdimension scores decreased and sleep quality total scores increased. There was a low relationship between the scores of symptom frequency and fatigue scale, there was a moderate association between scores of symptom frequency and the sleep quality scale scores, and there was a high relationship between the scores of fatigue (p < 0.001). As the symptom frequencies increased in adolescents, total fatigue scale and its subdimension scores decreased and sleep quality total scores increased.