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Description
This study assessed the effect of a peer-led educational intervention based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) on reducing khat use intention and behavior among secondary school students in Northeast Ethiopia. A quasi-experimental pretest–posttest control group design was conducted in four public high schools in Dessie and Kombolcha, with 1,496 students aged 15–24 years allocated to intervention and control groups. The intervention consisted of four 60-minute peer-led sessions targeting knowledge and TPB constructs. Outcomes were measured at baseline and 3 months post-intervention.
At 3 months, the intervention group showed significant improvements: increased knowledge, decreased positive attitudes toward khat, decreased perceived social approval, enhanced perceived behavioral control, reduced intention to use khat, and decreased current khat use (OR = 0.74; 95% CI: 0.51–0.97; p < 0.001). All effects remained significant after adjusting for confounders.
These findings indicate that TPB-based, peer-led interventions can effectively improve knowledge, psychosocial determinants, and reduce khat use intention and behavior among adolescents. Schools may consider integrating such theory-driven peer education programs into substance use prevention strategies.
