ABSTRACT
Behaviour change remains the only practical strategy for the primary prevention of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). While modifying adolescents’ sexual behaviour poses formidable challenges, there is accumulating empirical data indicating that increasing condom use is an achievable goal. The next generation of HIV- prevention interventions included considerable knowledge content, but did not give as much emphasis to the biology of HIV/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and the biological consequences of infection. To facilitate the development of a new generation of prevention interventions may require identifying new theoretical models on which to predicate behavioural interventions. High-risk sexual behaviour among adolescents is not random, uncontrollable, or inevitable. Social Cognitive Theory has proven particularly useful as a foundation for developing HIV risk-reduction interventions, especially for adolescents and multicultural populations.
