Rates, types, and psychosocial correlates of legal charges in adolescents with newly diagnosed bipolar disorder

Abstract

To examine the rates, types, and psychosocial correlates of legal charges in adolescents with newly diagnosed bipolar disorder (BD). Adolescents (n = 80), between the ages of 12 and 21 years (mean = 15.6, standard deviation = 2.3), hospitalized for their initial manic or mixed episode of BD, were evaluated for the incidence of prior juvenile offending (i.e., legal charges). We examined potential psychosocial correlates associated with legal charges using chi-square, t-tests, and discriminant function analyses to determine if there were differences between adolescents who did and did not offend prior to their first manic episode. Juvenile antisocial behaviors were common (55%) for adolescents with newly diagnosed BD. Discriminant function analysis revealed that older age at first treatment (p < 0.01), sexual activity over the previous month (p < 0.05), therapeutic use of stimulants (p < 0.05), and anxiety disorders were the most significant factors to differentiate between bipolar adolescents who offended and those who did not (Wilks' lambda = 0.80, p < 0.005). Our findings indicate that there are identifiable psychosocial correlates associated with antisocial behaviors in adolescents with newly diagnosed BD that may improve our understanding of juvenile antisocial behaviors.