A Pilot Randomized Control Trial to Help Youth Smokers to Quit Smoking:

Effectiveness of Using Adventure-based Training and WhatsApp Group to Relieve Emotion and Pressure so as to Quit Smoking: A Pilot Randomized Control Trial

This study is a 3-arm randomized controlled trial including: (1) Adventure-based training intervention group, (2) WhatsApp intervention group and (3) Control group.

Depression and stress are obstacles of youth smokers to quit smoking, youth smokers who have positive thinking and less depression exhibited smoking abstinence at last. Adventure-based training could enhance participants' self-efficacy, self-esteem and also improve mental health of children and youth by doing physical activity. On the other hand, previous mobile phone-based studies (e.g. short messaging services or Apps) showed that the mental health of youth had been improved by providing instant response to the subjects when they felt depressed. A paper published recently proved that WhatsApp group could prevent relapse among the quitters. Thus, adventure-based training and social support in WhatsApp group would predict to reduce depression and stress so as to quit smoking in youth.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Hong Kong resident aged 25 or below
• Able to communicate, read and write in Cantonese/ Chinese
• Smoked in the past 30 days
• Mobile can access internet
• Would access internet through mobile or at home

Exclusion Criteria:

• Have difficulty to communicate via telephone
• Ever used/using psychiatric drugs
• Physically disabled
• Having queries irrelevant to tobacco control
• Undergoing other smoking cessation service