Gender specific associations between potentially traumatic life events and mental health

Background: Research consistently shows that gender influences both the likelihood of encountering potentially traumatic events (PTEs) and their psychological consequences. Exposure to PTEs, defined as life-threatening or severely harmful situations, can accumulate over time and undermine an individual's ability to cope with stress. Based on these assumptions, the current study examined the co-occurrence of PTEs separately in women and men and explored their specific associations with mental health.