Enhancing the health competence of school-age children through behavioral self-management skills.

School health education programs are based on the assumption that health status is influenced by personal health practices. Health instruction cannot have a favorable impact on all factors influencing personal health behavior, so an effort must be made to determine which skills enhance health behavior for most individuals. Self-management skills can help individuals make behavioral changes consistent with their health-related decisions. This article describes several self-management skills and offers suggestions for teaching behavioral self-management.