The four basic components of an effective program to produce changes in motivation and behavior are information, development of social and self-regulatory skills, guided practice and corrective feedback in applying the skills, and development of social supports for the desired personal changes. The informational component of an AIDS prevention program must be presented in an understandable, credible, and persuasive manner and should be disseminated through a variety of media. In addition, social modeling should be used to develop and strengthen beliefs in the ability to use the skills described. Furthermore, practice in simulated situations and the use of community-mediated efforts are the most effective ways to enhance self-efficacy and build the necessary social supports. However, efforts to develop psychosocial approaches to AIDS prevention are hampered by views that these approaches are merely temporary measures to be used until a vaccine is developed and that they cannot affect basic human drives. 21 references.