Sexual attitudes and associated psychiatric features among youths in a community sample.
OBJECTIVE
Using an epidemiological sample of adolescents, this study examined associations between the acceptability of potential sex partners and psychiatric status.


METHODS
Subjects aged 14 to 17 years (N = 161) from the Columbia site of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Methods for the Epidemiology of Child and Adolescent Mental Disorders (MECA) Study were grouped according to their responses about the acceptability of youths their age having sex with partners of (1) the opposite sex, (2) neither sex, and (3) either sex. Youths endorsing either sex were compared with youths endorsing the other two types of partners according to psychiatric indicators obtained from the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children Version 2.3.


RESULTS
Higher-than-expected proportions of male and female youths endorsed sex partners of either sex as potentially acceptable for peers. Youths who did so abused substances and used mental health services more than peers but did not differ in rates of suicidal ideation or attempts. Males endorsing either sex also had higher rates of mood disorders and, compared with males endorsing only the opposite sex, a higher intelligence level.


CONCLUSIONS
Attitudes about the potential acceptability of sex partners for peers are associated with psychiatric morbidity and mental health service use in the respondent as well as with intelligence level in males. Youths who endorsed potential sex partners of either sex, especially males, appear to be at higher risk for multiple psychiatric problems.
Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University, New York 10032, USA. Feldmanm@child.cpmc.columbia.edu
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D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001290:Attitude; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D010379:Peer Group; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology*; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology