THE DEVELOPMENT OF NORMS FOR THE SELF-EMPOWERMENT SCALE FOR PREVENTING E-CIGARETTE AND CANNABIS USE AMONG ADOLESCENT STUDENTS

Abstract

This study aimed to: 1) Develop a self-empowerment scale for preventing e-cigarette and cannabis use among adolescent students; 2) Examine their levels of self-empowerment; and 3) Establish overall and dimension-specific norms. A sequential exploratory mixed-methods
design was employed. The qualitative phase involved 10 key informants: five experts and five lower-secondary students. The quantitative sample consisted of 2,366 lower-secondary students in Bangkok during the 2025 academic year, selected through multistage random sampling. The instruments were a semi-structured interview protocol and the self-empowerment scale. Qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis; quantitative data were analyzed using the mean, standard deviation, Cronbach's alpha coefficient, confirmatory factor analysis, normalized
T-scores, and percentile ranks. The 40-item scale comprised four dimensions and demonstrated excellent internal consistency ( = .924). The measurement model fit the empirical data ( = 437.57, df = 403, p = .113, CFI = 1.00, RMSEA = .006). Overall self-empowerment was at the highest level (M = 4.22). The overall norms ranged from T14 to T69, corresponding to percentile ranks from P.02 to P98.37 and raw scores from 64 to 200. The findings support the psychometric quality of the scale and its norms for score interpretation and preventive screening among lower-secondary students in Bangkok. These finding indicates that the self-empowerment scale for preventing e-cigarette and cannabis use can systematically support the planning of preventive guidance activities. Its use in other geographical contexts should take sociocultural differences into account.