Gender and PTSD

Current research and clinical observations suggest pronounced gender-based differences in the ways people respond to traumatic events. Most notably, women evidence twice the rate of PTSD as men following traumatic exposure. This important volume brings together leading clinical scientists to analyze the current state of knowledge on gender and PTSD. Cogent findings are presented on gender-based differences and influences in such areas as trauma exposure, risk factors, cognitive and physiological processes, comorbidity, and treatment response. Going beyond simply cataloging gender-related data, the book explores how the research can guide us in developing more effective clinical services for both women and men. Incorporating cognitive, biological, physiological, and sociocultural perspectives, this is an essential sourcebook and text.

This comprehensive book, with chapters by leading researchers, integrates existing data on gender and PTSD into a single volume. Each chapter addresses a specific dimension of gender and PTSD, provides a review of current data, and identifies areas in need of further research. Authors demonstrate an appreciation for the complex issues involved in studying gender. Researchers, clinicians and graduate students will find this book of great value.--Jacquelyn W. White, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro; Editor, Psychology of Women QuarterlyThis unique book is the first to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date review of existing literature on gender and the etiology, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of PTSD. It expertly covers interactions among gender, ethnicity, and social status, translating quantitative and qualitative research into specific recommendations for clinicians and researchers. The book is a key source to educate practitioners about empirically supported guidelines to help manage gender issues in the treatment of trauma and PTSD.--Rudolf Moos, PhD, Director, Center for Health Care Evaluation, VA Palo Alto Healthcare System and Stanford University School of Medicine; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University - A well-researched, comprehensive, novel look at the intricacies of gender issues in the context of the etiology, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)....This book is a must read for the clinician who does psychotherapy, an important read for the graduate student learning about how to work with individuals who have experienced a traumatic event, and an enjoyable and rather easy-to-follow read for the lay person who is interested in the phenomenon of PTSD. --The American Journal of Family Therapy, 08/21/2002

Rachel Kimerling, PhD, is a psychologist at the VA Palo Alto Healthcare System and the Clinical Laboratory and Education Division of the National Center for PTSD. She is also Assistant Professor at the Pacific Graduate School of Psychology in Palo Alto, California. She was formerly Assistant Adjunct Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco, where she conducted PTSD research at San Francisco General Hospital. Dr. Kimerling is interested in the detection, prevention, and treatment of PTSD in health care settings.Paige Ouimette, PhD, is Associate Professor of Psychology at Washington State University. Previously, she was a Research Associate at the Center for Health Care Evaluation at the VA Palo Alto Healthcare System and Consulting Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine. Her research addresses PTSD and comorbid conditions in clinical settings. Dr. Ouimette maintains a clinical practice in Pullman, Washington.Jessica Wolfe, PhD, MPH, is Clinical Instructor in Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, and Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine. She founded the Women's Health Sciences Division of the VA's National Center for PTSD and cofounded the Boston University School of Medicine Center for Excellence in Women's Health.