Sexual Activity and Risky Sexual Behaviour Amongst Canadian Youth With and at Risk for Bipolar Disorder

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Adolescent Health
• Mental Health Research

Background:

• Limited data exists on sexual behavior in youth with bipolar disorder (BD).
• Understanding sexual behavior in this population is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine sexual activity and risky sexual behavior (RSB) in youth with BD.
• To identify factors associated with sexual activity and RSB in this demographic.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 625 youth (ages 13-20) categorized into BD, high-risk for BD (BD-risk), and healthy controls (HC).
• Semi-structured interviews assessed diagnoses, treatment, sexual activity, and RSB.
• Comparative analyses were conducted across groups, with correlational analyses within BD and BD-risk groups.

Main Results:

• Both BD and BD-risk youth exhibited significantly higher rates of lifetime sexual activity and RSB compared to HC.
• Factors such as comorbid substance use disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and family history of anxiety were associated with sexual activity in BD youth.
• Older age, depression severity, comorbid SUD, and interpersonal chaos were linked to sexual activity in BD-risk youth, while affective lability and family history of suicide attempt correlated with RSB.

Conclusions:

• Youth with BD and BD-risk show markedly increased sexual activity and RSB compared to controls.
• Identifying demographic and clinical factors associated with these behaviors is key to developing effective prevention and treatment strategies for RSB in at-risk youth.