Social Norms Intervention to Prevent Smoking

Social norms approaches are based on the premise that we frequently overestimate risk behaviours among our peers. By conducting campaigns to reduce any dissonance between perceptions and reality, social norms approaches aim to reduce risk behaviours. This study was conducted in five schools in West Yorkshire during 2010/11 to identify any dissonance between actual (self-report) and perceived smoking among 12 to 13 year olds and assess the feasibility of using a social norms approach in secondary schools to prevent the uptake of smoking. The study found significant levels of dissonance among pupils. Implementing the approach was not only feasible but also welcomed by schools.

Funding
Members

Funding

Funder:	NIHR (Feasibility and Sustainability Fund)
Start Date:	April 2012
End Date:	March 2014

Members

Internal Staff

Helen Elsey

External Collaborators

Heather Thomson, Leeds City Council
Gemma Mann, Leeds City Council
Rashesh Mehta, Wakefield Council
Steven Body (Education Leeds)