Citation

Lonnen E, Paskell R. Eur. J. Psychotraumatol. 2024; 15(1): e2320994.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, The Author(s), Publisher Co-action Publishing)

DOI

10.1080/20008066.2024.2320994

PMID

38506757

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) prevalence and clinical presentation reportedly vary with gender and/or sex. Equivalent complex PTSD (CPTSD) research is in its relative infancy and to date no systematic review has been conducted on this topic.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically review the literature and provide a narrative addressing the question of whether gender and/or sex differences exist in CPTSD prevalence and clinical presentation.

METHOD: Embase, PsycINFO, PTSDpubs, PubMed, Web of Science, EThOS and Google Scholar were searched. Twelve papers were eligible for inclusion. Data were extracted and synthesised narratively.

RESULTS: Four themes were identified: (i) the reporting of gender and/or sex; (ii) index trauma; (iii) CPTSD prevalence rates; and (iv) CPTSD clinical presentation.

FINDINGS were mixed. Nine papers reported prevalence rates: eight found no gender and/or sex differences; one found higher diagnostic rates among women and/or females. Four papers reported clinical presentation: one reported higher cluster-level scores among women and/or females; two used single gender and/or sex samples; and one found higher scores in two clusters in men and/or males. Most papers failed to report in gender- and/or sex-sensitive ways.

CONCLUSIONS: Gender- and sex-sensitive research and clinical practice is needed. Awareness in research and clinical practice is recommended regarding the intersect between identity and the experience and expression of complex trauma.

Language: en

Keywords

Complex post-traumatic stress disorder; gender; género; presentación; presentation; sex; sexo; Trastorno de estrés postraumático complejo; trauma