Gender related correlates of posttraumatic stress symptoms in a World Trade Center tragedy sample

Previous research has documented that women are more susceptible to developing posttraumatic stress disorder than men. This study examines the relationships between gender, ruminative coping, traditional gender role characteristics, trauma-related cognitions, and posttraumatic stress symptoms. Participants were 123 victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, including 72 males and 51 females. Results indicated that female victims had more posttraumatic stress symptoms than male victims. Ruminative coping was positively correlated with posttraumatic stress symptoms. Victims who were categorized as 'feminine' had significantly higher levels of posttraumatic stress symptoms than victims categorized as 'androgynous.' Multiple regression and path analyses were used to determine whether ruminative coping, traditional gender role characteristics, and trauma-related cognitions mediated the gender difference in posttraumatic stress symptoms. The mediational model was not supported by these data.