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�Prenatal Cocaine Exposure (PCE) and Adolescent PTSD Symptoms Predict Risky Sexual Behavior in Young Adulthood

Summary

  • Both PCE and PTSD symptoms at age 19 were associated with increased RSB at age 19.
  • For women, depression also predicted more RSB at age 19.
  • Results of the hierarchical linear regression model indicated that both PCE and PTSD at age 19, but not age 14, predicted more RSB. 
  • Age 7 PTSD symptoms were not associated with age 19 RSB overall or when stratified by sex.

This research was supported by the National Institutes of Health. Drs. Virginia-Delaney Black and Lisa Chiodo led the age 14 and 19 studies, making this work possible. Special thanks to Drs. Stenson, Jovanovic, and the DTP team for their assistance. We also thank our study participants, without whom this research would be possible.

Contact: tasawwar_rahman@brown.edu

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

RESULTS

  • Results suggest a need for targeted sexual health interventions for young adults with PTSD and/or PCE, as well as for women with depression.
  • Further research is necessary to identify causality and other relevant mechanisms.

CONCLUSIONS

Figure 3: Average sexual risk-taking score by prenatal cocaine exposure category (none, some, heavy).

Partial Correlations with RSB (All participants)

​

Correlation

Significance

df

PTSD at 14

0.131

0.012

365

PTSD at 19

0.232

<.001

365

Partial Correlations with RSB for Women only

​

Correlation

Significance

df

PTSD at 14

0.199

0.004

202

PTSD at 19

0.168

0.02

190

Depression at 19

0.158

0.024

201

Partial Correlations with RSB for Men only

​

Correlation

Significance

df

PTSD at 19

0.194

0.008

182

Table 1: Results of partial correlations with risky sexual behavior, controlled for age. Only significant results reported.

Step

Predictors

B (SE)

ß

p

R2 Change

Sig. F Change

1

Age

2.456 (1.15)

0.107

0.034

0.016

0.016*

2

PCE

(2 group)

4.932 (1.66)

0.149

0.003

0.025

0.002*

3

PTSD at 14

0.450 (0.29)

0.080

0.123

0.016

0.015*

4

PTSD at 19

0.203 (0.05)

0.196

<0.001

0.036

<.001*

​

Table 2: Results of a hierarchical linear regression modeling risky sexual behavior at age 19 visit.

RESULTS

sf

VB

Tasawwar E. Rahman1, 2, Anaïs F. Stenson, PhD1, Tanja Jovanovic, PhD1

(1) Wayne State University, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences (2) Brown University

BACKGROUND

  • Risky sexual behavior (RSB) in young adulthood has major public health consequences.1
  • We tested associations between PCE, PTSD, depression, and RSB in young adults.

​

We hypothesized that PTSD and PCE would predict increased risky sexual behavior in adulthood as PCE alters the dopaminergic reward system and PTSD has been associated with RSB in veterans.2, 3

METHODS

Participants: Children of Black American mothers recruited/assessed for cocaine use during pregnancy.

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​

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Materials/Measures:

  • PCE: maternal interview, health records, infant meconium, and urine samples .
  • RSB with the Sexual Risk Behaviors Scale (SRBS).4
  • PTSD: UCLA PTSD Reaction Index at age 14 and the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) at age 19.5, 6
  • Depression: Mood and Physical Symptoms Scale (MPSS) at age 19.7

​

Sex

N

Mean Age

Std Deviation

Male

187

20.05

0.758

Female

204

20.03

0.669

Total

391

20.04

0.712

REFERENCES

1. Senn, T. (2013). Sexual Risk Behavior. In: Gellman, M.D., Turner, J.R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1005-9_670

2. Riley E, Maymi V, Pawlyszyn S, Yu L, Zhdanova IV. Prenatal cocaine exposure disrupts the dopaminergic system and its postnatal responses to cocaine. Genes Brain Behav. 2018 Apr;17(4):e12436. doi: 10.1111/gbb.12436. Epub 2017 Dec 13. PMID: 29105298.

3. Black, A. C., Cooney, N. L., Justice, A. C., Fiellin, L. E., Pietrzak, R. H., Lazar, C. M., & Rosen, M. I. (2016). Momentary assessment of PTSD symptoms and sexual risk behavior in male OEF/OIF/OND Veterans. Journal of affective disorders, 190, 424–428. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2015.10.039

4. Fino E, Jaspal R, Lopes B, Wignall L, Bloxsom C. The Sexual Risk Behaviors Scale (SRBS): Development & Validation in a University Student Sample in the UK. Evaluation & the Health Professions. 2021;44(2):152-160. doi:10.1177/01632787211003950

5. Doric, A., Stevanovic, D., Stupar, D., Vostanis, P., Atilola, O., Moreira, P., Dodig-Curkovic, K., Franic, T., Davidovic, V., Avicenna, M., Noor, M., Nussbaum, L., Thabet, A., Ubalde, D., Petrov, P., Deljkovic, A., Antonio, M. L., Ribas, A., Oliveira, J., & Knez, R. (2019). UCLA PTSD reaction index for DSM-5 (PTSD-RI-5): a psychometric study of adolescents sampled from communities in eleven countries. European journal of psychotraumatology, 10(1), 1605282. https://doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2019.1605282

6. Weathers, F. W., Bovin, M. J., Lee, D. J., Sloan, D. M., Schnurr, P. P., Kaloupek, D. G., Keane, T. M., & Marx, B. P. (2018). The Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5): Development and initial psychometric evaluation in military veterans. Psychological assessment, 30(3), 383–395. https://doi.org/10.1037/pas0000486

7. West R, Hajek P. Evaluation of the mood and physical symptoms scale (MPSS) to assess cigarette withdrawal. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2004 Dec;177(1-2):195-9. doi: 10.1007/s00213-004-1923-6. Epub 2004 Jun 4. PMID: 15179542.