ABSTRACT

Aim: This study aims to investigate the effect of the health belief model based creative drama education on the health locus of control and perception of smoking in students.

Materials and Methods: This randomized experimental study with a control group was conducted in two secondary schools located in the province of Erzurum, Turkey, between January and December 2019. The study sample consisted of 80 patients determined by the power analysis. Three instruments were used in the data collection: Personal Information Form, Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale and Decisional Balance Scale. The students in the experimental group were given 6 sessions of creative drama training based on the health belief model. SPSS 20.0 statistical package program was used for the coding, statistical analysis and evaluation of the data. In the evaluation of the data, the mean, standard deviation, number and percentages, as well as

the analyses such as independent samples chi square analysis, t-test, Mann Whitney – U test and Paired Samples t test were used in statistical comparisons according to the characteristics of the data.

Results: There was a significant increase in the internal locus of control sub-scale of the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale scores of the students in the experimental group participating in creative drama application, whereas there was a significant decrease in the external control sub-scale (p<0.05). On the Decisional Balance Scale, there was a significant decrease in the benefit sub-scale post-test score of the students in the experimental group, whereas there was a significant increase in the damage sub-scale score (p<0.05).

Conclusion: Drama applications have led to a positive change in health locus of control and perception of smoking. From this perspective, it may be recommended to integrate drama applications into health education, and to ensure students’ active participation in this education.

Keywords: Creative drama, Health belief model, locus of control, nursing, perception of smoking