(PS14-60) Trauma Type Differentially Predicts Somatization in Men Compared to Women

Somatization symptoms are common among individuals who have experienced traumatic events. While the significant impact of post-traumatic disorder severity on somatization has been established, further investigation into the specific influence of trauma type is necessary. Additionally, differential rates of trauma type and rates of somatization differ between men and women. The present study investigated the impact of trauma type on somatization severity in trauma exposed men (N=264) and women (N=971). Regression analyses indicate that experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event significantly predicts somatization severity in both women (F (5, 966) =14.40, p< .001, R²=.06) and men (F (5, 259) =3.26, p< .05, R²=.051). In women, experiencing or witnessing victimization (b=.21, p< .001) and significant death threat (b=.08, p< .05) predicted a significant amount of variation in somatization while accidental injury (b=.01, p=.87) did not. In men, experiencing or witnessing accidental injury (b=.13, p< .05) was the only trauma type that predicted a significant amount of variance in somatization severity. These results indicate that trauma type differentially impacts somatization severity in women compared to men, suggesting differences in underlying mechanisms.