The Journal of

  Background : Puberty as a stage of life is an important developmental process. Teen girls have numerous health care needs and their specific issues should be considered. This study was conducted determine the effect of health belief model in adopting prevention and control of health behaviors during puberty among female high school students in Ardakan city.

  Methods: This study is a randomized clinical trial of an intervention and non-intervention type. The parhicipants were the first grade secondary school students in the city of Ardakan. The sample was randomly selected. Sample size was 120 being estimated on the basis of similar studies. Data were collected by means of questionnaires. To measure the reliability of the questionnaire, content validity and test-retest reliability were applied. Data were analyzed by SPSS software using indicators such as central tendency and dispersion, paired T-test, chi-square, Spearman correlation coefficient, and ANOVA analysis.

  Results: After the intervention, the mean score, perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, self-efficacy and behavior of non-intervention in the intervention group had a statistically significant difference, but for the mean action, significant differences were not observed. Knowledge score, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, self-efficacy and behavior before and after the intervention in the control group was statistically significant different, however, the mean score for perceived susceptibility, a cue to action, no significant difference was observed. The mean score of knowledge, perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, perceived self-efficacy, action and behavior before and after the educational intervention showed statistically significant difference.

  Conclusion: The efficacy and efficiency of the health belief model in adopting of preventive behaviors and controls in adolescent girls about puberty health is supported.