Objective: In
this study, the results of the intervention through the ‘Motivational Interview’
 to address the smoking behavior of
adolescents in the ‘Adolescent Medicine Outpatient Clinic’ were evaluated.

Material and Methods: Thirty-two adolescents smoking at least three cigarette per/day
for the last three months were included in the study. The participants were called
twice with a one-week interval and then with two weeks interval. The
motivational interview was conducted to help them quit smoking each time they came.
The participants were called by telephone three months after the last interview
and were questioned on their smoking behavior.

Results: The
mean age of the participants was 16.4 ± 1 years (min: 12-max: 18) and 47% (n =
15) of them were female. 28% (n = 9) of the participants had a chronic disease.
According to the statements of the participants after three months, 6.2%(n = 2)
of adolescents quit smoking, and 50% (n = 16) decreased the frequency of
smoking. A statistically significant relationship was found between the rate of
quitting or reducing smoking and the compliance to the smoke intervention
program (p = 0.016) and, the number of cigarettes smoked per day at first
admission (p = 0.047). There was no significant
relationship between the age of the adolescents, the age of first
experimentation, the duration of smoking, and the reduction of smoking. The
rate reduction in cigarettes smoked was found to be higher in patients who had
a chronic disease, non-smoker family, female gender and attendance to school,
but the difference between these was not statistically significant (p>
0.05).

Conclusion: This study demonstrates that smoking interventions in the
early period of smoking and the compliance to smoking cessation interventions may
change the smoking behavior of adolescents.

Keywords: Adolescent, smoking, reducing, smoking cessation, motivational interview