Keywords
pilot study, school-based program, peer support, empathy, altruistic motivation
pilot study, school-based program, peer support, empathy, altruistic motivation
Few studies1–3 have focused on the development of prevention programs in a classroom setting, which was the impetus behind the creation of the dataset. Although there are studies available on school-based smoking prevention programs,3–5 it is unknown how students felt and reacted to their smoking peers, as well as how emotion and motivation can influence peer support. Adolescent smoking is not only a persistent global threat to adolescents,6–8 but it also leads to significant health issues during childhood and adolescence. These health problems include respiratory illnesses, decreased physical fitness, and potential hindrance in lung growth rate.9 Previous studies have highlighted the importance of students’ understanding and viewpoints regarding cigarette products and smoking behavior in the development of effective school-based prevention programs for adolescents.10,11 The traditional approach to smoking cessation programs typically emphasizes the relationship between the provider and the consumer.12 In contrast, the alternative perspective highlights the importance of a collaborative relationship to drive action.13
On the contrary, there is an increasing body of literature that incorporates emotional elements and motivation in health campaigns aimed at communicating the risks of smoking.14,15 By incorporating emotional elements, these campaigns aim to foster more effective collaboration among adolescents and promote shared responsibility.16,17 However, due to the limitations identified in previous studies, a pilot study is necessary to explore the phenomenon and assess the feasibility before conducting the main study. Therefore, this study aims to explore: 1) student opinion and reaction regarding cigarette product and smoking behavior; and 2) the effect of emotional element (e.g., empathy) and motivational (e.g., altruistic motivation) factors on peer support in the context of developing adolescent smoking prevention programs in a classroom setting. This dataset is a valuable resource for researchers studying the development of school-based smoking cessation programs for adolescents.
This pilot study utilized cross-sectional data and adhered to the The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines for study design and reporting.18 The study protocol and research questionnaire were registered on protocol.io (dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.36wgq3r45lk5/v1) to ensure transparency and replicability. Additionally, we followed the The Sex and Gender Equity in Research (SAGER) guidelines relevant to this study.19 As a pilot study, a small number of participants or observations were included, and the calculation of sample size was not deemed necessary.20 However, it was important to ensure that the sample in the pilot study was representative of the intended main study.21 Thus, inclusion and exclusion criteria were established for participant recruitment.
The present study specifically targeted students residing in Palembang, the capital of South Sumatra Province, Indonesia. Statistics Indonesia’s report indicated that young individuals from this province were among the highest consumers of cigarettes in the country.22 Non-probability sampling was employed, specifically convenience sampling, to select the schools and participants for the study. Data collection was carried out through an online self-administered survey conducted during two pilot studies conducted from 2021 to 2022. The data collection process involved the participation of the homeroom teachers, who assisted in distributing the online questionnaire link to the students. Study I aimed to provide insights into specific interactions within the classroom and explore the potential for peer support among students. Meanwhile, Study II focused on understanding how individual factors impact peer support within the classroom environment. For the purpose of this study, the term ‘classroom setting’ was defined to encompass the range of daily interactions between students and their classmates.
Participants in this study had to meet the following inclusion criteria: 1) registered as grade 11 students, 2) male or female students, and 3) between the ages of 15 and 17. This pilot study is designed and will be implemented as a school-based program for students in Grade 11 who are between the ages of 15 and 17. We did not address the issue of gender differences in this study because we allowed participants of both genders (male and female). The SAGER guidelines are only implicit in the study’s relevance (how sex and gender are accounted for in the study design). Our exclusion criteria were a non-grade 11 high school student or an individual aged 18 and up. Participants were drawn from state and non-state high schools in the area where the study was conducted.
Participants in this study were provided with a Google Form link by their homeroom teacher and were asked to complete the questionnaire online. The questionnaire survey took approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. Informed consent was obtained from all participants, and the consent process was included at the beginning of the questionnaire. For more information on the study procedures, including the steps, guidelines, and materials used, please refer to the protocol available at protocol.io with the DOI: https://doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.36wgq3r45lk5/v1.
Two primary independent variables were used in this study: empathic concern and altruistic motivation. The measurement of empathic concern and altruistic motivation was adapted from Batson’s empathic-altruism hypothesis.23,24 Empathic concern refers to emotions that are focused on others and congruent with their perceived well-being when they are in need. On the other hand, altruistic motivation refers to a state of motivation that aims to enhance the well-being of others.25 This form of motivation can drive individuals to provide peer support or engage in prosocial actions. The criterion variable in this study is peer support, which refers to the provision of emotional, appraisal, and informational assistance by a member of the social network who possesses experiential knowledge of a specific behavior or stressor and shares similar characteristics with the target population26 We measured empathic concern and altruistic motivation using well-validated scales,27–29 using a five-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). On the other hand, we measured peer support using a dichotomous scale (willingness to help). Logistic regression was used to predict the group membership for the question “Are you willing to help your friend stay away from cigarette products?” with two possible answers: “0” for “no, that is not my business” and “1” for “yes, of course.”
This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board at Universitas Gadjah Mada (Ethical clearance ref. KE/UGM/037/EC/2022).
All individual participants in this study provided informed consent. All procedures involving human participants were approved by the Universitas Gadjah Mada Institutional Review Board and were in accordance with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its subsequent amendments or comparable ethical standards.
Before using the data for further analysis, we performed dataset validation to ensure its integrity, accuracy, and structure. All of the data collection, recoding, and analysis procedures were meticulously carried out. To maintain the validity of the data source, we enlisted the assistance of homeroom teachers in distributing questionnaires. Furthermore, construct validity was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to ensure the convergence of the construct (e.g., construct of empathic concern, altruistic motivation, and peer support). We determined that there is no potential bias because the study was exploratory and the data collection medium was transparent (see published research protocol and data availability). In addition, the researchers had no control over how the questionnaire was distributed.
The dataset used in this study consists of two files with the SPSS *.sav extension that describe and define the sample and variables. The first dataset contains demographic information about participants, as well as their knowledge and opinions about cigarettes. The second dataset contains main variables and their measurements (for example, empathy variable and its item measurement). Table 1 contains information about the characteristics and data description of data in datasets.
Characteristics | Location | Description |
---|---|---|
Dataset 1, Dataset 2 | The number of respondents. We do not reveal respondent’s identity in order to comply with ethical conduct and to consider the open data option. We conceal respondent names by using a continuous number (e.g., Respondent 01, Respondent 02, and so on). | |
Dataset 1, Dataset 2 | A set of biological attributes in humans and animals that are associated with physical and physiological features including chromosomes, gene expression, hormone function and reproductive/sexual anatomy.19,30 In the database, this is a dummy variable (1 – Male, 2 – Female) | |
Dataset 1 | A set of questions about the participants’ knowledge of their smoking friends. This item consists of five questions labeled “Care 1-5”. Do you know if any of your classmates have ever tried smoking? In a database, this is a nominal variable with the values 1=Yes, I know, 2=No, I don’t know, and 3=I’m not sure. | |
Dataset 1 | A set of questions about the participants’ knowledge of their smoking friends. This item consists of five questions labeled “Care 1-5”. How many of your classmates have smoked or are currently smoking? In a database, this is a nominal variable with the values 1=I don’t know, 2=One, 3=Two, and 4=More than two. | |
Dataset 1 | A set of questions about the participants’ knowledge of their smoking friend. These items consist of five questions labeled “Care 1-5”. Have you ever seen one of your classmates smoking? In the database, this is a nominal variable with the values 1=Yes, I have, 2=No, and 3=I’m not sure | |
Dataset 1 | A set of questions about participants’ knowledge of their smoking friend. These items consist of five questions labeled “Care 1-5” What is your reaction when you know or see one of your friends smoking? In the database, this is a nominal variable with the values 1=Do nothing, that’s his/her choice 2=Do nothing, that’s not my business 3=I’m trying to speak and ask why you do this? 4=I told him or her, we are not supposed to smoke | |
Dataset 1 | A set of questions about the participants’ knowledge of their smoking friends. This item consists of five questions labeled “Care 1-5”. Assume you know one of your classmates is a smoker. Is this motivating you to take action to keep him or her from engaging in such behavior? In the database, this is a nominal variable with the values 0=It’s not my concern 1=Of course | |
Dataset 1 | A set of questions about cigarette product opinion among students.13,31,32 This item contains the following question: “A cigarette product is… A tobacco product” “0=No” and “1=Yes” are the possible answers. In the database, this is a dummy variable (0=No, 1=Yes). | |
Dataset 1 | A set of questions about cigarette product opinion among students.13,31,32 This item contains the following question: “A cigarette product is… A product that should not be consumed by teenagers” “0=No” and “1=Yes” are the possible answers. In the database, this is a dummy variable (0 = No, 1 = Yes) | |
Dataset 1 | A set of questions about cigarette product opinion among students.13,31,32 This item contains the following question: “A cigarette product is… Has a disturbing picture on the packaging” “0=No” and “1=Yes” are the possible answers. In the database, this is a dummy variable (0=No, 1=Yes) | |
Dataset 1 | A set of questions about cigarette product opinion among students.13,31,32 This item contains the following question: “A cigarette product is… Dangerous product” “0=No” and “1=Yes” are the possible answers. In the database, this is a dummy variable (0=No, 1=Yes) | |
Dataset 1 | A set of questions about cigarette product opinion among students.13,31,32 This item contains the following question: “A cigarette product is… Having an interesting Ad” “0=No” and “1=Yes” are the possible answers. In the database, this is a dummy variable (0=No, 1=Yes) | |
Dataset 1 | A set of questions about cigarette product opinion among students.13,31,32 This item contains the following question: “A cigarette product is… Easy to get” “0=No” and “1=Yes” are the possible answers. In the database, this is a dummy variable (0=No, 1=Yes) | |
Dataset 1 | A set of questions on student attitudes toward smoking.13,31,32 This item contains the following question: “I think smoking is… A symbol of friendship” “0=No” and “1=Yes” are the possible answers. In the database, this is a dummy variable (0=No, 1=Yes) | |
Dataset 1 | A set of questions on student attitudes toward smoking.13,31,32 This item contains the following question: “I think smoking is… An activity that is harmful to health” “0=No” and “1=Yes” are the possible answers. In the database, this is a dummy variable (0=No, 1=Yes) | |
Dataset 1 | A set of questions on student attitudes toward smoking.13,31,32 This item contains the following question: “I think smoking is… 18 years old only” “0=No” and “1=Yes” are the possible answers. In the database, this is a dummy variable (0=No, 1=Yes) | |
Dataset 1 | A set of questions on student attitudes toward smoking.13,31,32 This item contains the following question: “I think smoking is… Makes me more cool” “0=No” and “1=Yes” are the possible answers. In the database, this is a dummy variable (0=No, 1=Yes) | |
Dataset 1 | A set of questions on student attitudes toward smoking.13,31,32 This item contains the following question: “I think smoking is… Do something to relieve stress” “0=No” and “1=Yes” are the possible answers. In the database, this is a dummy variable (0=No, 1=Yes) | |
Dataset 2 | A reflective construct of empathic concern. It refers to feelings elicited by and consistent with the perceived well-being of someone in need.25 This item contains a statement titled “Imagine one of your classmates becoming ill as a result of smoking in the future; what is your reaction?”
In the database, this is an ordinal scale (Likert scale), 1=strongly disagree, 2=disagree, 3=neutral, 4=agree, and 5=strongly agree | |
Dataset 2 | A reflective measure of the altruistic motivation construct. It refers to a motivational state that seeks to improve someone’s well-being.25 This item contains the following statement: “When you know that one of your friends will suffer as a result of smoking in the future, what is your reaction?”
In the database, this is an ordinal scale (Likert scale), 1=strongly disagree, 2=disagree, 3=neutral, 4=agree, and 5=strongly agree | |
Dataset 2 | A reflective measure of the peer support construct. It refers to a system of giving and receiving assistance based on key principles of respect, shared responsibility, and mutual agreement on what is beneficial.26 This item contains the following statement: “What do you have in mind to help him/her?”
In the database, this is an ordinal scale (Likert scale), 1=strongly disagree, 2=disagree, 3=neutral, 4=agree, and 5=strongly agree | |
Dataset 2 | A composite value gained from average on empathy concern’s items. | |
Dataset 2 | A composite value gained from average on altruistic motivation’s items. | |
Dataset 2 | A composite value gained from average on peer support’s items. | |
Dataset 2 | Student reaction when he or she discovers that one of their classmates is a smoker. This item includes the question “What is your reaction when you know or see one of your friends smoking?” In the database, this is a dummy variable (0=Do nothing (that’s not my business), 1=Do something (make him/her stop smoking). | |
Dataset 2 | A future action (willingness to help) when he/she learns that one of their classmates is a smoker. This item contains the question “Are you willing to help your friend to stay away from cigarette products?” In the database, this is a dummy variable (0=No, that’s not my business, 1=Yes, of course) |
The data was processed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS version 23. The raw data from a Google Form (.xls extension) was then re-encoded for further processing (e.g., string data is converted to numeric data). Each question (column) in the raw Excel data was then coded (e.g., male=1, female=2, and so on). The data was carefully transferred to the SPSS dataset after it had been recoded. To accommodate the research purpose, two SPSS datasets were created for each study. To accommodate the wide range of student opinions in Study I, we allowed participants to provide more than one answer (multiple answers). Figures 1 and 2 were graphically processed in Microsoft Excel.
A total of 102 participants were confirmed as eligible participants in two pilot studies, with no participants dropping out. Thirty-one students from High School A participated in Study I, and seventy-one students from various high schools in Palembang participated in Study II. The overall analysis of this result is divided into two parts: 1) investigating student reactions to their smoking peers (study I), and 2) investigating the effect of emotional and motivational factors on peer support (study II). Study I discovered that student opinions on cigarette products and smoking behavior range from popular to unpopular (see Figures 1 and 2). For example, cigarette product is a dangerous product and related to tobacco product, which has become a popular opinion toward cigarette product (64.52 percent). In other words, 90.32 percent of students believe that smoking is a harmful activity to their health.
The second section focuses on an associative study to predict a group member based on peer support (n=71). According to Table 2, logistic regression was used to predict group membership. The results showed that the higher their empathic concern (OR=2.494, Wald=4.029, p=.045) and altruistic motivation (OR=2.014, Wald=4.426, p=.035), the more likely they are to perform helping behavior (peer support) than a student with low empathy and altruistic motivation.
Overall, the findings from these datasets suggest that we should pay more attention to popular opinion about cigarettes and smoking behavior. According to the findings, popular opinion may describe the majority of adolescent beliefs in the classroom setting. As expected, ‘cigarette as a tobacco product’ and ‘cigarette as a dangerous product’ are the most popular views on the cigarette product. Furthermore, most participants perceived smoking as a harmful activity to their health. Furthermore, our findings suggest that influencing student emotion (e.g., empathy) and motivation (e.g., altruistic motivation) may contribute to increased peer support. Non-responsive peer support, on the other hand, is caused by a lack of empathy and motivation to help. This finding lends support to the idea of using emotional and motivational elements to foster more effective collaboration and shared responsibility among adolescents.15,33
The dataset has some key limitations, primarily stemming from the small number of participants. It is important to interpret the results of this pilot study with caution due to these limitations. The findings cannot be generalized to a larger population but can still provide valuable insights for the development of school-based programs within the specific context. Descriptive statistics and association tests can be helpful in informing program development within this limited scope. Additionally, it should be noted that this pilot study did not address sex differences, while other studies on emotions have examined this aspect.34–36 Exploring participant reactions based on sex differences could be beneficial for developing specific interventions to promote peer support.26
The significant findings of this study have important implications for the successful implementation of evidence-based policies and prevention activities, particularly within a classroom setting. The empirical results offer valuable insights for health practitioners, as well as professionals in health marketing or social marketing. The study has shown that students with high levels of empathy and altruistic motivation are more likely to engage in helping behaviors compared to those with lower levels. Based on these findings, it is recommended to develop school-based adolescent smoking cessation programs that incorporate empathy and altruism training for students, aiming to encourage them to provide peer support.
The datasets obtained from this pilot study offer valuable preliminary findings regarding the impact of emotional and motivational factors on peer support in classroom settings. The study successfully explored the phenomenon and confirmed the feasibility before commencing the main study. The results suggest that interventions based on emotions hold promise for the development of school-based smoking prevention programs, aligning with the growing use of emotional elements in health campaigns.37,38 In conclusion, future main studies should take into account important considerations based on the insights from this pilot study, such as ensuring the use of consistent inclusion and exclusion criteria, increasing the number of participants to enhance external validity, and incorporating program evaluation measures.
Mendeley Data: A cross-sectional dataset containing demographic characteristics, student opinions, student knowledge, empathy, altruistic motivation, and peer support, DOI: https://doi.org/10.17632/rggnsww87w.1. 39
The project contains the following underlying data:
Data are available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license (CC-BY 4.0).
The authors would like to thank all staff and homeroom teachers from High School A (located in Palembang City, Indonesia) for helping the data collection process in Study I.
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Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed.
Reviewer Expertise: Family Health Nursing and adolescent health.
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