Gender differences in the relationship between maladaptive behaviours and post-traumatic stress disorder. A study on 900 L’Aquila 2009 earthquake survivors.
Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) represents one of the most frequently psychiatric sequelae to earthquake exposure. Increasing evidence suggests the onset of maladaptive behaviors among veterans and adolescents with PTSD, with specific gender differences emerging in the latter. Aims...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2013-01-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyt.2012.00111/full |
| _version_ | 1818582230836969472 |
|---|---|
| author | Liliana eDell'Osso Claudia eCarmassi Paolo eStratta Gabriele eMassimetti Kareen K Akiskal Hagop S Akiskal Icro eMaremmani Alessandro eRossi |
| author_facet | Liliana eDell'Osso Claudia eCarmassi Paolo eStratta Gabriele eMassimetti Kareen K Akiskal Hagop S Akiskal Icro eMaremmani Alessandro eRossi |
| author_sort | Liliana eDell'Osso |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) represents one of the most frequently psychiatric sequelae to earthquake exposure. Increasing evidence suggests the onset of maladaptive behaviors among veterans and adolescents with PTSD, with specific gender differences emerging in the latter. Aims of the present study were to investigate the relationships between maladaptive behaviours and PTSD in earthquake survivors, besides the gender differences in the type and prevalence of maladaptive behaviours and their association with PTSD. Methods: 900 residents of the town of L’Aquila who experienced the earthquake of April 6th 2009 (Richter Magnitude 6.3) were assessed by means of the Trauma and Loss Spectrum Self Report (TALS-SR).Results: Significantly higher maladaptive behaviour prevalence rates were found among subjects with PTSD. A statistically significant association was found between male gender and the presence of at least one maladaptive behaviour among PTSD survivors. In the latter, significant correlations emerged between maladaptive coping and symptoms of re-experiencing, avoidance and numbing and arousal in women, while only between maladaptive coping and avoidance and numbing in men. Conclusions: Our results show high rates of maladaptive behaviours among earthquake survivors with PTSD suggesting a greater severity among men. Interestingly, post-traumatic stress symptomatology appears to be a better correlate of these behaviours among women than among men, suggesting the need for further studies based on a gender approach. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T07:46:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-20e8e6abfb7140baad92f010659db972 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T07:46:05Z |
| publishDate | 2013-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-20e8e6abfb7140baad92f010659db9722022-12-21T22:38:58ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402013-01-01310.3389/fpsyt.2012.0011141105Gender differences in the relationship between maladaptive behaviours and post-traumatic stress disorder. A study on 900 L’Aquila 2009 earthquake survivors.Liliana eDell'Osso0Claudia eCarmassi1Paolo eStratta2Gabriele eMassimetti3Kareen K Akiskal4Hagop S Akiskal5Icro eMaremmani6Alessandro eRossi7University of PisaUniversity of PisaUniversity of L'AquilaUniversity of PisaUnion Nationale des Dépressifs et Maniaco-DépressifsUniversity of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CASanta Chiara University Hospital, University of PisaUniversity of L'AquilaBackground: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) represents one of the most frequently psychiatric sequelae to earthquake exposure. Increasing evidence suggests the onset of maladaptive behaviors among veterans and adolescents with PTSD, with specific gender differences emerging in the latter. Aims of the present study were to investigate the relationships between maladaptive behaviours and PTSD in earthquake survivors, besides the gender differences in the type and prevalence of maladaptive behaviours and their association with PTSD. Methods: 900 residents of the town of L’Aquila who experienced the earthquake of April 6th 2009 (Richter Magnitude 6.3) were assessed by means of the Trauma and Loss Spectrum Self Report (TALS-SR).Results: Significantly higher maladaptive behaviour prevalence rates were found among subjects with PTSD. A statistically significant association was found between male gender and the presence of at least one maladaptive behaviour among PTSD survivors. In the latter, significant correlations emerged between maladaptive coping and symptoms of re-experiencing, avoidance and numbing and arousal in women, while only between maladaptive coping and avoidance and numbing in men. Conclusions: Our results show high rates of maladaptive behaviours among earthquake survivors with PTSD suggesting a greater severity among men. Interestingly, post-traumatic stress symptomatology appears to be a better correlate of these behaviours among women than among men, suggesting the need for further studies based on a gender approach.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyt.2012.00111/fullgenderPTSDpost-traumatic symptomsearthquakemaladaptive behaviours |
| spellingShingle | Liliana eDell'Osso Claudia eCarmassi Paolo eStratta Gabriele eMassimetti Kareen K Akiskal Hagop S Akiskal Icro eMaremmani Alessandro eRossi Gender differences in the relationship between maladaptive behaviours and post-traumatic stress disorder. A study on 900 L’Aquila 2009 earthquake survivors. Frontiers in Psychiatry gender PTSD post-traumatic symptoms earthquake maladaptive behaviours |
| title | Gender differences in the relationship between maladaptive behaviours and post-traumatic stress disorder. A study on 900 L’Aquila 2009 earthquake survivors. |
| title_full | Gender differences in the relationship between maladaptive behaviours and post-traumatic stress disorder. A study on 900 L’Aquila 2009 earthquake survivors. |
| title_fullStr | Gender differences in the relationship between maladaptive behaviours and post-traumatic stress disorder. A study on 900 L’Aquila 2009 earthquake survivors. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Gender differences in the relationship between maladaptive behaviours and post-traumatic stress disorder. A study on 900 L’Aquila 2009 earthquake survivors. |
| title_short | Gender differences in the relationship between maladaptive behaviours and post-traumatic stress disorder. A study on 900 L’Aquila 2009 earthquake survivors. |
| title_sort | gender differences in the relationship between maladaptive behaviours and post traumatic stress disorder a study on 900 l aquila 2009 earthquake survivors |
| topic | gender PTSD post-traumatic symptoms earthquake maladaptive behaviours |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyt.2012.00111/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lilianaedellosso genderdifferencesintherelationshipbetweenmaladaptivebehavioursandposttraumaticstressdisorderastudyon900laquila2009earthquakesurvivors AT claudiaecarmassi genderdifferencesintherelationshipbetweenmaladaptivebehavioursandposttraumaticstressdisorderastudyon900laquila2009earthquakesurvivors AT paoloestratta genderdifferencesintherelationshipbetweenmaladaptivebehavioursandposttraumaticstressdisorderastudyon900laquila2009earthquakesurvivors AT gabrieleemassimetti genderdifferencesintherelationshipbetweenmaladaptivebehavioursandposttraumaticstressdisorderastudyon900laquila2009earthquakesurvivors AT kareenkakiskal genderdifferencesintherelationshipbetweenmaladaptivebehavioursandposttraumaticstressdisorderastudyon900laquila2009earthquakesurvivors AT hagopsakiskal genderdifferencesintherelationshipbetweenmaladaptivebehavioursandposttraumaticstressdisorderastudyon900laquila2009earthquakesurvivors AT icroemaremmani genderdifferencesintherelationshipbetweenmaladaptivebehavioursandposttraumaticstressdisorderastudyon900laquila2009earthquakesurvivors AT alessandroerossi genderdifferencesintherelationshipbetweenmaladaptivebehavioursandposttraumaticstressdisorderastudyon900laquila2009earthquakesurvivors |