Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2021 Jan;50(1):191-204.
doi: 10.1007/s10508-020-01698-8. Epub 2020 Apr 23.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms Are Associated with Greater Delay Discounting of Condom-Protected Sex and Money

Meredith S Berry  1   2   3 , Mary M Sweeney  1 , Sean B Dolan  1 , Patrick S Johnson  1   4 , Steven J Pennybaker  1 , Keri S Rosch  5   6 , Matthew W Johnson  7
Affiliations

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms Are Associated with Greater Delay Discounting of Condom-Protected Sex and Money

Meredith S Berry et al. Arch Sex Behav. 2021 Jan.

Abstract

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with increased risk of detrimental life outcomes. Recent research also indicates that ADHD is associated with sexual risk behavior, such as unprotected sex. Some risky sexual behaviors may be driven, in part, by preference for immediate rewards, referred to as delay discounting, which is prominent in etiological models of ADHD. Therefore, the present study examined the effect of delay on preference for both monetary and sexual outcomes in adults with many ADHD symptoms (both on and off medication) and with fewer ADHD symptoms. Online participants (N = 275; n = 161 males, n = 114 females) completed a monetary delay discounting task, assessing preference for smaller sooner versus larger delayed hypothetical money, and the Sexual Delay Discounting Task, assessing preference for condom use in hypothetical casual sex scenarios based on delay until condom availability. Those with greater ADHD symptoms discounted delayed monetary outcomes as well as delayed condom-protected sex (i.e., preferred sooner money rewards and immediate unprotected sex) significantly more than those with fewer symptoms; however, no effect of current medication use was found across monetary or sexual delay discounting among those with greater ADHD symptoms. This study is the first to demonstrate the relation between ADHD symptoms and reduced condom-use likelihood. Increased discounting of delayed condom-protected sex might constitute one mechanism of risky sexual behavior among individuals with ADHD symptoms. Interventions geared toward increasing condom use in situations in which condoms may otherwise be unavailable, may mitigate risky sexual behaviors and their associated harms in this population.

Keywords: ADHD; Condom use; DSM-5; Monetary delay discounting; Sexual Delay Discounting Task; Sexually transmitted infections.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Alessi, S. M., & Petry, N. M. (2003). Pathological gambling severity is associated with impulsivity in a delay discounting procedure. Behavioural Processes, 64(3), 345–354. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0376-6357(03)00150-5 . - DOI - PubMed
    1. Armitage, C. J., & Talibudeen, L. (2010). Test of a brief theory of planned behaviour-based intervention to promote adolescent safe sex intentions. British Journal of Psychology, 101(1), 155–172. https://doi.org/10.1348/000712609X431728 . - DOI - PubMed
    1. Baker, F., Johnson, M. W., & Bickel, W. K. (2003). Delay discounting in current and never-before cigarette smokers: Similarities and differences across commodity, sign, and magnitude.Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 112(3), 382-392. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-843x.112.3.382
    1. Barker, D. H., Scott-Sheldon, L. A. J., Gittins, Stone D., & Brown, L. K. (2019). Using composite scores to summarize adolescent sexual risk behavior: Current state of the science and recommendations. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 48(8), 2305–2320. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-019-01526-8 . - DOI - PubMed - PMC
    1. Barkley, R. A., Edwards, G., Laneri, M., Fletcher, K., & Metevia, L. (2001). Executive functioning, temporal discounting, and sense of time in adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 29(6), 541–556. https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1012233310098 . - DOI - PubMed

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources