Citation

Hanson RF, Borntrager C, Self-Brown S, Kilpatrick DG, Saunders BE, Resnick HS, Amstadter AB. Am. J. Orthopsychiatry 2008; 78(3): 313-321.

Affiliation

National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, Medical University of South Carolina.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, American Orthopsychiatric Association, Publisher Wiley Blackwell)

DOI

10.1037/a0014056

PMID

19123750

PMCID

PMC2735843

Abstract

Using a nationally representative sample of 4,008 adolescents, this study examines gender differences in violence exposure, major depressive episode (MDE) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and characteristics of violence incidents. It was hypothesized that there would be gender differences in the types of violence exposure reported and in the prevalence of MDE and PTSD and that gender would moderate the relationship between violence exposure and mental health outcomes. Results indicated significant gender differences in rates of violence exposure, PTSD, and MDE. Additionally, gender was a moderating variable in the relation between sexual assault and PTSD, but not in the other violence exposure?mental health relations examined. It thus appears that the pathways for developing PTSD may be different for male and female victims of sexual abuse. Implications for interventions and future research are discussed.

Language: en