must also take this into account in improving understanding, targeting cognitions, and developing social skills of program participants (Wright et al., 1998). Also underlying the theoretical perspective of this study, the social cognitive theory (Bandura, 1986, 1992), initially called cognitive social learning theory. Social cognitive theory emphasizes behavior, environment, and cognition as the key factors in development. The social cognitive model is concerned with ways in which mental representations of social events, societal, and cultural norms, and personal characteristics influence behavior, reasoning, emotion, and motivation. Specifically, the approach addresses acknowledgment, self and social goals, mental representations of self and others, and the role of social facilitation in decision-making, memory, and judgment (Bandura, 1986, 1992). According to social cognitive theory, complex cognitive functioning involved in coping, everyday problem-solving, and decision-making in health as well as in social situations depends on basic cognitive methods. Furthermore, it depends on the organization of existing knowledge structures and socially-derived emotional and motivational influences on performance. Martino, Collins, Kanouse, Elliott, and Berry (2005) explained how cultural influences serve as behavioral models for young people: Social-cognitive theory contends that people observe important role models, make inferences and attributions and acquire scripts, schemas and normative beliefs that 19 then guide their subsequent behavior. This theoretical perspective would predict that adolescents learn sexual behaviors and their likely consequences by watching television. To the extent that adolescents acquire favorable beliefs about sex and confidence in their own sexual abilities as a result of viewing sexual content on television, they become more likely to attempt the modeled behaviors (p. 915). The social-cognitive analysis of pregnancy prevention would stress the importance of information concerning sexual activities, skills for managing behavior in relation to reducing pregnancy risk, feelings of self-efficacy in relation to pregnancy prevention, and social influence factors as determinants of pregnancy preventive behavior. In a similar vein, the social-cognitive analysis of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) sees the latter as caused by sexual risk-taking behavior. Prevention would stress the importance of information, providing skills for managing behavior in relation to STD risk, increasing feelings of self-efficacy concerning STD prevention, and awareness of social influence factors as determinants of preventive behavior. Self-efficacy is a frequently cited construct in social cognitive theory. Bandura’s (1986, 1992) social cognitive theory assumes self-efficacy and outcome expectancies (related to situation and action) are central determinants of behavior. According to Bandura, self-efficacy is confidence in one’s own ability to carry out a particular behavior. In the present context, self-efficacy theory predicts that pregnancy- and STDprevention behaviors will be performed if the individual perceives they have control over the outcome, there are few external barriers, and they have confidence in their own ability to carry out the behaviors (Bandura, 1992). In this context the theory of planned behavior would apply in the present 20 investigation as an extension of the theory of reasoned action (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975). The theory of reasoned action (Fishbein & Middlestatde, 1989) proposes that an individual’s sexual preventive behavior is a function of the individual’s behavioral intention to perform a particular act. Behavioral intentions, in turn, are assumed to be a function of three factors. These include a person's attitude toward performance of a particular preventive behavior, the individual’s subjective perception of what significant others wish the individual to do with respect to the behavior in question, or both. Another predictor of intentions is perceived behavior control. This concept is similar to Bandura’s (1982) concept of self-efficacy. A limitation of the theory of planned behavior in relationship to sexual behavior is the model seems to be unable to explain behavior that may be under affective (emotional) control and does not adequately take into account emotional factors in decision making. In addition, it would appear that social-cognitive theory constructs have not been thoroughly specified in relation to AIDS or pregnancy preventive behavior. In addition, the review of literature has not seen social cognitive theory being tested empirically as an integrated model with respect to pregnancy or STD related behavior. This section of the chapter discussed the theoretical framework of the study. The purpose of the next portion of the chapter is to review the literature associated as related to teen sexual practices and pregnancy. Contributing factors associated with the teen sexual behavior and pregnancies are reviewed first. These include poverty and welfare dependence, environmental, cultural, and social factors, parents, peers, and poor sex education, the age at which sex is initiated, and the influence of technology. The subject of the next subsection is defining sexual education and programs, followed by an 21 examination of specific teenage pregnancy prevention programs. Teen Sexual Practice and Pregnancy: