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Abstract: Background: Earthquakes are among the most frequently occurring natural disasters affecting the general population and inducing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Thus, increasing effort has been devoted to explore risk factors for PTSD onset after exposure. The aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of gender, degree of exposure and age on PTSD and post-traumatic stress symptoms in the general population exposed to the L''Aquila 2009 earthquake (Richter Magnitude 6.3). Methods: A total sample of 1488 subjects (721 women and 767 men) was assessed by means of the Trauma and Loss Spectrum Self Report (TALS-SR): 939 subjects have been directly and 549 not-directly exposed to the earthquake. We performed a random extraction of units from the population in order to have 8 homogenous comparable subgroups. Results: A main significant effect of exposure (exposed>non exposed subjects) and gender (women>men) emerged on the TALS-SR domain scores. Further significant interaction effects of exposure⁎age and gender⁎age emerged with significantly more TALS-SR symptoms being reported in younger with respect to older non-exposed subjects and in younger with respect to older women. Limitations: Social support was not examined systematically as well as major depression. Further limitations are the relatively small sample size and the use of lifetime instruments. Conclusions: Our results corroborate literature on female gender and proximity to the epicenter being correlated to PTSD after earthquake exposure and suggest a possible secondary effect of age. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Introduction: Earthquakes are one of the most frequently occurring natural disasters and lot of studies have been conducted on exposed populations, particularly to evaluate post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). On April 6th 2009, the town of L’Aquila, central Italy, was struck by an earthquake, with a strength of 5.9 on the Richter scale, and 309 people have died, 1600 were injuried and more than 65000 were displaced. Objectives: To investigate the impact of PTSD in a sample of L’Aquila''s people. Aims: To evaluate the prevalence rates of PTSD, either full-blown or partial, among 512 students attending the last year of high school in L’Aquila, 10 months after the earthquake. Methods: Assessments included the trauma and loss spectrum-self report (TALS-SR) and the Impact of Event Scale (IES). Gender differences in the symptoms reported were investigated. Partial PTSD is defined as the presence of symptoms in the DSM-IV Criterion B and C or D for PTSD diagnosis. Results: Our results showed the presence of PTSD in 192 (37.5%) of the students examined, with significantly (p=.000) higher rates in women than men (N=120, 51.7% and N=72, 25.7%, respectively). Moreover, 153 (29.9%) students reported partial PTSD (75, 32.3% women and 78, 27.9% men respectively). Significantly higher PTSD symptoms were reported by women with respect to men. Conclusions: Our results show high rates of full or partial PTSD in adolescents survived to L’Aquila''s earthquake. Women resulted more affected than men. These results highlight the need to carefully explore these conditions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]