Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Handwriting Analysis Indicates Spontaneous Dyskinesias in Neuroleptic Naïve Adolescents at High Risk for Psychosis
Published on: November 21, 2013
Trends in the Use of Atypical Antipsychotics Among Children and Adolescents With Bipolar Spectrum Disorders in Korea
Kee Jeong Park1, Ye-Jee Kim2, Eunji Jung3
1Department of Psychiatry, Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Introduction:
Atypical antipsychotics (AAPs) are increasingly prescribed for bipolar spectrum disorders in children and adolescents. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and trends of AAP prescriptions among Korean children and adolescents with bipolar spectrum disorders.
Methods:
We analyzed data from the Korean National Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service to assess AAP use among Koreans aged 0-18 years with bipolar spectrum disorders between 2010 and 2022. This population-based study used an annual cross-sectional assessment to evaluate trends in AAP prescription.
Results:
The prevalence of AAP prescriptions for children and adolescents with bipolar spectrum disorders increased over the 13-year study period, rising from 0.14 in 2010 up to 1.23 per 1000 persons in 2022. During this time, the dominant AAP shifted from risperidone to aripiprazole. Data from 2022 revealed that the most prescribed AAP for children was aripiprazole, followed by risperidone, quetiapine, and olanzapine. Children and adolescents with bipolar spectrum disorders and psychiatric comorbidities, particularly ADHD, were prescribed AAPs more frequently (p < 0.001).
Conclusion:
The prescription of AAPs in Korean children and adolescents with bipolar spectrum disorders has increased over the last decade. This trend was particularly pronounced among individuals with psychiatric comorbidities, especially ADHD. Future research is needed to develop more evidence-based AAP treatments for bipolar spectrum disorders in this population.
Related Concept Videos
Mania and Antimanic Drugs: Overview
Psychosis: Goals of Pharmacotherapy
Antipsychotic Drugs: Typical and Atypical Agents
Drug Therapy
Antianxiety Medications
Psychosis and Antipsychotic Drugs: Overview
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism