title: Gender Differences in the Relationship between Maladaptive Behaviors and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. A Study on 900 L' Aquila 2009 Earthquake Survivors.
abstract: 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 behaviors and PTSD in earthquake survivors, besides the gender differences in the type and prevalence of maladaptive behaviors 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 behavior 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 behavior among PTSD survivors. Further, among survivors with PTSD 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 behaviors among earthquake survivors with PTSD suggesting a greater severity among men. Interestingly, post-traumatic stress symptomatology appears to be a better correlate of these behaviors among women than among men, suggesting the need for further studies based on a gender approach.
authors.affiliation: Section of Psychiatry, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dell'osso
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carmassi
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stratta
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Massimetti
authors.forename: Kareen K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Akiskal
authors.forename: Hagop S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Akiskal
authors.forename: Icro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Maremmani
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rossi
keywords: PTSD; earthquake; gender; maladaptive behaviors; post-traumatic stress symptoms