In Source Waste Separation in Rural Regions of Northern Iran: A Theory-Driven Intervention

Aliakbari Sefiddarboni, Mojtaba; Rakhshanderou, Sakineh; Ghaffari, Mohtasham; Alavi Bakhtiarvand, Seyyed Nadali; Rafiee, Mohammad; Sadani, Mohsen

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In Source Waste Separation in Rural Regions of Northern Iran: A Theory-Driven Intervention

Mojtaba Aliakbari Sefiddarboni

, Sakineh Rakhshanderou

, Mohtasham Ghaffari ^*

, Seyyed Nadali Alavi Bakhtiarvand

, Mohammad Rafiee

, Mohsen Sadani

Abstract: (15 Views)

Background and Objectives: It is necessary to implement appropriate solutions regarding waste separation at source. This study aimed to investigate the impact of a Theory of Planned Behavior-based intervention on households’ in source waste separation behavior.

Materials and Methods: This is an interventional research on 184 households in rural areas, northern Iran, 2024-2025. Two villages were randomly selected and assigned. After pre-test, a TPB-based intervention was implemented. In addition, some environmental facilitations like preparing a separate waste collection booth were carried out. Follow-up was conducted two months after intervention. The data collection tool was a TPB-based questionnaire. Data analysis was performed by SPSS16 and using Chi-square, Fisher, t-test, paired t-test, and ANCOVA.

Results: Findings of ANCOVA showed a significant difference between experimental and control groups in terms of mean scores of attitude (56.70±2.80 vs 61.15±2.27), perceived behavioral control (17.04±2.20 vs 18.91±1.10), subjective norms (30.66±2.15 vs 33.27±1.33), behavioral intention (14.93±1.55 vs 24.00±0.86), and in source waste separation behavior (27.42±2.01 vs 42.58±1.22), two months after intervention (P<0.05). The mean scores of all TPB constructs before and two months after the intervention in the experimental group were significantly increased (P<0.05), while in the control group, except for the attitude (P=0.045), no significant change was observed for the TPB constructs (P>0.05).

Conclusion: The present attempt confirms the effectiveness of education based on TPB framework along with some environmental interventions in facilitating waste separation behavior. Therefore, the use of behavior change models for planning in the field of environmental problems, especially waste separation, is recommended.

Open Access Policy: This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Keywords: Waste separation, Intervention, Theory of planned behavior, Behavior

Type of Study: Research | Subject: Health Promotion Interventions
Received: 2025/06/22 | Accepted: 2025/10/23

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