Reducing Adolescent Sexual Risk: A Theoretical - ETR Associates

GlossaryAdaptation The process of modifying an intervention,curriculum or program without removing orcontradicting the core elements or internal logic.Affective The feelings or emotional state of anindividual.Attitudes Positive or negative evaluations thatpeople have of other people, objects, activities,concepts and many other phenomena.Behavior change theory A structured set ofunderstandings that describe, predict and explainwhy people act as they do and how to changewhat they do. These understandings underlieinterventions to change health behaviors.Behavioral capability The ability to do something,which typically requires both the knowledge ofwhat is to be done and the skills needed to do it.Belief A statement or proposition, declared orimplied, that is accepted as true by a person orgroup.Causal relationships Two factors are causallyrelated if one of them is the direct result of theother.Cognitive Knowledge gained through perception,reasoning, or intuition.Cognitive dissonance Conflict between a person’sbeliefs and behaviors.Contraception A general term for methods toprevent pregnancy.Concurrent sexual partners Two or more sexualrelationships overlapping in time.Correlation A statistical measure of the degree ofrelationship between variables.Curriculum-based programs Instructional methodsthat use an educational plan incorporating astructured, developmentally appropriate series ofintended learning outcomes and associated learn-ing experiences for students, typically in classroominstruction or after school.Determinants Factors hypothesized to affectoutcomes, such as individual factors (e.g., beliefs,perceptions, attitudes, values and skills); demographicfactors; environmental factors; or aspectsof a particular social, economic, educational,healthcare or cultural system.Developed countries Countries in which citizensusually have access to a wide range of publiclyprovided and private services in health, education,social welfare, housing, transport, commercialand industrial sectors, as well as state-supporteddefense and security services.Empirical evidence Based directly on experience,e.g., observation or experiment, rather than onreasoning alone.Forced-choice voting activities An activity oftenused in youth pregnancy/HIV/STD preventionprograms to address peer pressure. The activityprovides a scenario or question and participantsare required to make a decision based on twochoices and move to a designated area in a roomthat represents the choice. Discussion followsto address whether decisions were influenced byanother person, how it feels to be alone on oneside of the room, what role peer pressure couldplay in decision making and what reasons theperson has for holding that position.Formative evaluation Gathering information duringthe early stages of a project or program, with afocus on finding out whether efforts are unfoldingas planned, uncovering any obstacles or unexpectedopportunities that may have emerged, andidentifying needed adjustments and corrections tothe program.Human Papillomavirus (HPV) A sexually transmitteddisease.Glossary 129