The causal relationship model of life skills and risk behavior of undergraduate students in Thailand

Abstract

The purposes of this research were to develop and validate a causal relationship model between life skills and risk behavior of undergraduate students in Thailand. The 4,057 samples of undergraduate students were selected by stratified random sampling technique and completed rate of responding was 67.62 percentages. The self-administered questionnaire was applied, comprised of 5 parts: 1) biosocial factors, 2) perception about benefits of health behavior practicing 3) life skills, 4) health behavior and 5) risk behavior. The reliability of research instrument ranging from 0.7587 to 0.9843. The development model was properly fitted with the empirical data; χ2/df = 3.21, GFI = 0.99, RMR = 0.022, CFI = 0.99, and AGFI = 0.98. The model revealed the strongest factor affected risk behavior of undergraduate students was life skills which negative directed effect of 20 percentages. The perception of health promoting practices factor had 72 percentages of positively directed effect on health behavior.