Gender Differences in NYC Police Officer Trauma: 9/11 and Aftermath

The study was designed to examine gender differences in work stress and trauma in police officers who have been exposed to a traumatic event, such as the attacks on the World Trade Centers on September 11. 2001. Through a mixed methods research design, three broad areas of research questions have been proposed: (a) Have female police officers experienced higher levels of work stress than male police officers before, during, and after the 9/11 terrorist attacks?; (b) have female police officers presented with different symptoms of trauma than male police officers since the terrorist attacks?; and (c) is there a relationship between levels of work stress and symptoms of trauma experienced by male and female police officers, respectively? The work examines these questions and establishes a methodology for resolving them.