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Visual Abstract
Childhood ADHD predicts risky sexual behavior in young adulthood
The Link Between Childhood ADHD and Risky Sexual Behaviors in Adults
Kate Flory, Brooke S G Molina, William E Pelham Jr, Elizabeth Gnagy, Bradley Smith
Summarized by:
Charles Li, MD
October 5, 2023
study source
J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol
Dec 2006
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What they studied
How do young adults with childhood ADHD differ in risky sexual behaviors compared to those without ADHD?
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What they found
Adults with childhood ADHD start sexual activity earlier and engage more in risky sexual behaviors.
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What this means
ADHD in childhood can lead to increased risky sexual behaviors in young adulthood.
Objectives
Study Quote
This study compared young adults (ages 18 to 26) with and without childhood ADHD on self-reported risky sexual behaviors.
While ADHD is typically associated with difficulties in the classroom, ADHD symptoms also lead to a wide range of effects in our personal lives.
High impulsivity is a crucial aspect of ADHD, which can lead to those with ADHD taking on higher risks and engaging in risky behavior:
The study aimed to examine how young adults with and without childhood ADHD differ in their engagement in risky sexual behaviors.
Methods
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Participants were 175 men with childhood ADHD and 111 demographically similar men without ADHD in the Pittsburgh ADHD Longitudinal Study (PALS).
Researchers included 175 men with ADHD and 111 without, all part of the Pittsburgh ADHD Longitudinal Study, for this comparison.
Results
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Childhood ADHD predicted earlier initiation of sexual activity and intercourse, more sexual partners, more casual sex, and more partner pregnancies.
They discovered that those with childhood ADHD started sexual activity earlier and had more partners, casual sex, and partner pregnancies.
Conclusions
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Although childhood conduct problems did contribute significantly to risky sexual behaviors among participants with ADHD, there was also an independent contribution of ADHD, suggesting that the characteristic deficits of the disorder or other associated features may be useful childhood ma...
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These results link childhood ADHD with riskier sexual behavior as adults. This link is particularly strong among children with behavioral or disciplinary issues.
But, it is essential to note that this link was also seen in well-behaved children with ADHD.
These results suggest that children with ADHD may be more vulnerable to engaging in risky sexual behaviors and their consequences, such as teen pregnancy and STIs.
This research is consistent with other studies examining risky sexual behavior in those with ADHD. One study confirmed the link between ADHD and risky sexual behavior and found that much of this link may be driven by substance abuse: