Who Develops Posttraumatic Stress Disorder?

Abstract

Nearly half of U.S. adults experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetimes, yet only 10% of women and 5% of men develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Why this is so is among the most central questions in current PTSD research. This article reviews the current status of knowledge about who develops PTSD, discussing the strengths and weaknesses of the evidence. We describe the major models used to understand responses to traumatic events, as well as future research directions. We also propose that an exclusive focus on individual differences and individual intervention overlooks opportunities to reduce the prevalence of PTSD by modifying factors at the neighborhood, community, or national level.