Until recently, the countries of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union appeared to have escaped the worst of the AIDS epidemic. In 1994 there were 30,000 reported HIV infections, but by the end of 1997 the number had climbed to 190,000. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) for explanatory utility among young adults and their use of condoms was examined for its ability to predict student behavior. The AIDS Planned Behavior Scale was translated into Russian and administered to 329 students at the University of Vilnius, Lithuania. The results highlight the limited cross-cultural utility of the theory of planned behavior for predicting condom use among young adults. Interventions to increase condom use among sexually active Lithuanians should focus on changing attitudes, which may be accomplished by changing norms concerning condom use. Developing skill-building programs designed to improve the mechanics of condom use among young adults, and the associated self-efficacy, will effectively increase condom use and reduce sexually transmitted diseases. The data demonstrated that providing basic condom use instruction is an essential condition to effective changes in social norms and attitudes towards condoms in Lithuania. (Author/JDM)