Gender differences in susceptibility to posttraumatic stress disorder
Abstract
We examined data from a community survey of trauma exposure and DSM-IV PTSD in Winnipeg, Canada to explore factors associated with the higher rate of PTSD in women than men. Women were found to be at significantly increased risk for PTSD following exposure to serious trauma (odds ratio approximately 5), even when sexual trauma--which predominates in women--was excluded (odds ratio approximately 3). Adjusting for gender differences in the number of lifetime traumata, or in the likelihood of the trauma being associated with particular reactions to or consequences of the event (i.e. thinking that one would be killed or seriously injured; sustaining a serious physical injury; seeing someone else seriously injured or killed) did not result in a lessening of the PTSD risk in women. Women were found to be at increased risk for PTSD following nonsexual assaultive violence (e.g. mugging or other physical attack) but not following non-assaultive trauma (e.g. fire, witnessing injury to others). Understanding the basis of (and parameters for) this increased susceptibility to PTSD in women compared to men following trauma exposure should be a priority for future traumatic stress research.
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Higher basal CB1 receptor availability in women may provide a neurobiological explanation for the greater risk of PTSD in women following trauma, even excluding sexual trauma.
“This finding may thus provide a neurobiological explanation for why women are at greater risk for developing PTSD following exposure to various types of trauma than men even when sexual trauma—which is more common in women—is excluded61.”
From Elevated brain cannabinoid CB1 receptor availability in post-traumatic stress disorder: A positron emission tomography study (2013) · cites this paper as [61]
Women are at greater risk for developing PTSD following exposure to various types of trauma than men even when sexual trauma is excluded.
“why women are at greater risk for developing PTSD following exposure to various types of trauma than men even when sexual trauma—which is more common in women—is excluded61.”
From Elevated brain cannabinoid CB1 receptor availability in post-traumatic stress disorder: A positron emission tomography study (2013) · cites this paper as [61]
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- Authors
- Stein, M. B., Walker, J. R., & Forde, D. R.
- Affiliations
- University of California San Diego (US)
- Corresponding author
- Stein, Murray B.
- Venue
- Behaviour Research and Therapy
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2000-06
- Volume
- 38
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 619-628
- ISSN
- 0005-7967 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2078815192
- Cited by
- 356
- References
- 15
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 59 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 18 · 2014: 16 · 2013: 17 · 2012: 15
- FWCI
- 13.92
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Behaviour Research and Therapy (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research
- Keywords
- post-traumatic stress disorder, gender differences, women, trauma exposure, sexual trauma, assaultive violence, mugging, trauma risk factors, community survey
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Disease Susceptibility, Female, Humans, Male, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Risk Factors, Sex Factors, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Crime Victims
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