Intimate Relationships and Sexual Behavior in Young Women withDepression

Depressed young women may limit intimate relationships, yet engage in frequent and unsafe sex to cope with their symptoms. Their efforts to feel better may provide only temporary relief or result in feeling worse. Depressed young women would benefit from tailored interventions that identify and counter unhealthy thoughts, attitudes, behaviors, and patterns related to sexual relationships and behavior; minimize factors that impair healthy decision-making; and foster development of alternative affect regulation strategies.