Female participants needed for anonymous survey research examining the role of the menstrual cycle in PTSD.

Women in Australia are diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at nearly twice the rate of men. While differences in trauma exposure contribute to this discrepancy, they don’t fully explain it.

Emerging evidence suggests that ovarian hormones, particularly oestradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4), may play an important role in shaping PTSD symptoms, fear-learning processes, and treatment outcomes.

Despite this, the menstrual cycle is rarely considered in PTSD research or therapy. Understanding these biological and contextual influences is an important first step towards personalised treatment for women on the Sunshine Coast and beyond.

To help address this gap, the National PTSD Research Centre at UniSC's Thompson Institute is conducting cross-sectional survey research to explore how menstrual cycle factors and history relate to PTSD symptoms in the local female community.

We seek participants who are:

• Biological females (with or without PTSD)
• 18–40 years old
• Non-menopausal
• English-speaking

More information

For further information about this research, please contact the Chief Investigator:

Dr Ciara Treacy
Email: ctreacy@usc.edu.au
Tel: +61 7 5456 3877

Thank you for supporting this important research.