CAUSAL FACTORS AND GUIDELINES FOR ASSISTING AND PREVENTION OF DRUG ABUSE AMONG LOWER SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN BANGKOK

Abstract

This article aimed to 1) Examine the factors influencing drug prevention behaviors among lower secondary school students in Bangkok, and 2) Develop intervention and prevention guidelines for at-risk students. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was employed, consisting of two phases. In Phase 1, a survey study was conducted with a sample of 1,600 lower secondary school students in Bangkok, selected through multistage random sampling. The research instruments included questionnaires on health literacy, social support, motivation for drug prevention, and drug prevention behaviors. The reliability coefficients ranged from 0.75 to 0.80, and the Index of Item-Objective Congruence (IOC) ranged from 0.67 to 1.00. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. In Phase 2, intervention guidelines for at-risk students were developed through focus group discussions. Key informants were purposively selected, including at-risk students with high levels of drug prevention behaviors, teachers responsible for at-risk students, and experts in psychology, with 10 participants in each group. Data were analyzed using content analysis. The findings revealed that health literacy was the most significant causal factor, with a statistically significant influence at the .05 level. The intervention and prevention guidelines for at-risk students, termed the “F.O.C.U.S. Model,” consist of five steps: 1) Identification and screening, 2) Building trust and open listening, 3) Initial counseling, 4) Implementation of individualized intervention plans, and 5) Continuous monitoring and development. These findings have both policy and practical implications for the sustainable development of drug prevention systems in educational institutions.