Table 2 Study outcomes for total depression and anxiety, depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress symptoms (Intention-To-Treat population)

From: A randomized controlled trial of a trauma-informed smartphone application in reducing firefighters’ mental health symptoms

Outcome

SOLAR-m

N = 84*

Mean ± SD

Control group

N = 78*

Mean ± SD

Estimate (95% CI)**

(Absolute difference:SOLAR-m minus control)

Cohen’s d Effect Size (95% CI)

p-value

Primary outcome

Depression and anxiety symptoms (HADS-Total)

 At baseline

18.0 (6.6)

18.3 (7.3)

   

 At 8 weeks

11.6 (6.4)

14.7 (8.7)

–2.64 (–4.64, –0.63)

–0.33 (–0.59, –0.08)

0.010

 At 3-months post follow-up

12.7 (7.6)

14.2 (8.5)

–1.70 (–3.59, 0.19)

–0.21 (–0.44, 0.02)

0.079

Secondary outcomes

Depression symptoms (HADS-Depression)

 At baseline

7.9 (4.1)

8.3 (4.3)

   

 At 8 weeks

4.8 (3.4)

6.8 (4.9)

–1.51 (–2.72, –0.30)

–0.34 (–0.62, –0.07)

0.014

 At 3-months post follow-up

5.4 (4.4)

6.7 (4.9)

–1.32 (–2.49, –0.15)

–0.28 (–0.53, –0.03)

0.027

Anxiety symptoms (HADS-Anxiety)

 At baseline

10.1 (3.5)

10.0 (3.8)

   

 At 8 weeks

6.7 (3.5)

7.9 (4.4)

–1.18 (–2.23, –0.13)

–0.30 (–0.56, –0.03)

0.028

 At 3-months post follow-up

7.4 (4.0)

7.6 (4.2)

–0.36 (–1.38, 0.67)

–0.09 (–0.34, 0.16)

0.491

Posttraumatic stress symptoms (PCL-5)

 At baseline

29.7 (15.3)

31.5 (18.2)

   

 At 8 weeks

18.5 (10.7)

26.1 (19.2)

–5.17 (–8.51, –1.83)

–0.32 (–0.52, –0.11)

0.002

 At 3-months post follow-up

21.5 (15.0)

23.7 (16.4)

–2.26 (–5.52, 1.01)

–0.14 (–0.35, 0.06)

0.175

  1. A negative mean difference in any of the outcomes means that the intervention group (SOLAR-m) is associated with a better outcome compared to the control group.
  2. CI confidence interval, HADS Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, PCL-5 PTSD Checklist DSM-5, SD standard deviation.
  3. **Analysis undertaken on intention-to-treat population (N = 162).
  4. aSample sizes presented are the numbers with baseline data in each group. Descriptive statistics at 8 weeks and 3-months post follow-up are for participants with complete data for these outcomes at each time point, respectively.