Journal Article

A new perspective on PTSD symptoms after traumatic vs stressful life events and the role of gender

Penninx, Brenda W. J. H., Spinhoven, Philip, van den Berg, Lisa J. M., Elzinga, Bernet M., Tollenaar, Marieke S.

2017

Overview

Background: There is an ongoing debate about the validity of the A1 criterion of PTSD. Whereas the DSM-5 has opted for a more stringent A1 criterion, the ICD-11 will leave it out as a key criterion. Objective: Here we investigated whether formal DSM-IV-TR traumatic (A1) and stressful (non-A1) events differ with regard to PTSD symptom profiles, and whether there is a gender difference in this respect. Method: This was examined in a large, mostly clinical sample from the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (n = 1433). Participants described their most bothersome (index) event and were assigned to either an A1 or non-A1 event group according to this index event. Results: Remarkably, in men PTSD symptoms were even more severe after non-A1 than A1 events, whereas in women symptoms were equally severe after non-A1 and A1 events. Moreover, while women showed significantly higher PTSD symptoms after A1 events than men (29.9 versus 15.4% met PTSD criteria), there was no gender difference after non-A1 events (women: 28.2%; men: 31.3%). Furthermore, anxiety and perceived impact were higher in women than men, which was associated with PTSD symptom severity. Conclusion: In sum, while women showed similar levels of PTSD symptoms after both event types, men reported even higher levels of PTSD symptoms after non-A1 than A1 events. These findings shed a new light on the role of gender in PTSD symptomatology and the clinical usefulness of the A1 criterion.

• Publisher: Taylor & Francis,Taylor & Francis Ltd,Taylor & Francis Group
• Subject: aetiology / Clinical / etiología / eventos de vida / eventos traumáticos / Gender / Gender differences / género / life events / Post traumatic stress disorder / PTSD / TEPT / Trauma / traumatic events / 创伤事件 / 性别 / 生态 / 生活事件