Gender differences and posttraumatic stress disorder: The role of trauma type and frequency of exposure

Female gender was shown as a risk factor for developing a posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in several studies, but its role in the course of PTSD has not been elucidated completely. It was hypothesized that types and increased frequencies of certain traumas lead to increased risks for PTSD symptoms and that these risks differ between female and male police officers. Gender differences were found in trauma risk, with women officers experiencing higher risk from dealing with abused children and male officers experiencing higher risk due to shooting incidents in which officers were involved.