Exploring Gender Differences in the Presentation of Symptoms in PTSD

Abstract

The researchers examined the relationship of gender and the presentation of symptoms for individuals with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The researchers used an online survey to examine the presentation of clusters of PTSD symptoms: intrusion, avoidance, negative alterations in cognitions and mood, and alterations in arousal and reactivity. It was hypothesized that women would display more symptoms in the clusters of avoidance and alterations in reactivity and arousal, and that men would display more symptoms in intrusion and changes in cognition. Additionally, the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) was used to assess the symptoms and the categories of PTSD symptoms that were exhibited by the participants. The survey was distributed through social media and local healthcare practitioners. There were fifteen participants included in the study: two males and thirteen females. The results demonstrated that females when compared to males had more intrusive symptoms and more severe symptoms in all of the four symptom categories. The results of this study can be used to address the gap in the PTSD literature and better understand how PTSD affects individuals as a whole and from a gender perspective. As the knowledge about PTSD advances, it will be easier for medical practitioners and individuals with PTSD to understand how the disorder will affect their life and what treatment is most appropriate.