Table 2 Randomised participant characteristics (overall and by arm)

Age (years), mean (SD)

53.56 (11.79)

52.66 (8.01)

53.03 (9.68)

Age (years), median (IQR)

54 (46, 62)

52 (47, 57)

52 (46.5, 58.5)

Sex, n (%)

 Male

22 (88.0)

33 (94.3)

55 (91.7)

 Female

3 (12.0)

2 (5.7)

5 (8.3)

Ethnicity, n (%)

 White

22 (88.0)

34 (97.1)

56 (93.3)

 Any other ethnic group

1 (4.0)

1 (2.9)

2 (3.3)

 Missing

2 (8.0)

0 (0.0)

2 (3.3)

Occupational status last 30 days, n (%)

 No paid work

10 (40.0)

14 (40.0)

24 (40.0)

 Part-time paid work

2 (8.0)

6 (17.1)

8 (13.3)

 Full time paid work

11 (44.0)

15 (42.9)

26 (43.3)

 Missing

2 (8.0)

0 (0.0)

2 (3.3)

Relationship status, n (%)

 Long term relationship/married

13 (52.0)

27 (77.1)

40 (66.7)

 Short term relationship

3 (12.0)

0 (0.0)

3 (5.0)

 Not in a relationship

7 (28.0)

8 (22.9)

15 (25.0)

 Missing

2 (8.0)

0 (0.0)

2 (3.3)

Living alone, n(%)

 No

14 (56.0)

24 (68.6)

38 (68.6)

 Yes

8 (32.0)

10 (28.6)

18 (30.0)

 Missing

3 (12.0)

1 (2.9)

4 (6.7)

Armed forces composition, n (%)

 Navy

0 (0.0)

3 (8.6)

3 (5.0)

 Army

22 (88.0)

28 (80.0)

50 (83.3)

 Royal Air Force

1 (4.0)

3 (8.6)

4 (6.7)

 Missing

2 (8.0)

1 (2.9)

3 (5.0)

Rank on military exit, n (%)

 Lower rank^a (Pte to Cpl)

15 (60.0)

16 (45.7)

31 (51.7)

 Senior rank^b (Sgt to WO1)

6 (24.0)

16 (45.7)

22 (36.7)

 Officer rank

2 (8.0)

2 (5.7)

4 (6.7)

 Missing

2 (8.0)

1 (2.9)

3 (5.0)

Duration of military service, n (%)

 ≤ 4 years

4 (16.0)

8 (22.9)

13 (20.0)

 5–12years

10 (40.0)

7 (20.0)

17 (28.3)

 ≥ 13 years

9 (36.0)

20 (57.1)

29 (48.3)

 Missing

2 (8.0)

0 (0.0)

2 (3.3)

Times deployed overseas for 30 days or more, n (%)

 ≤ 2 times

12 (48.0)

16 (45.7)

28 (46.7)

 3–5 times

7 (28.0)

9 (25.7)

16 (26.7)

 More than 5 times

4 (16.0)

10 (28.6)

14 (23.3)

 Missing

2 (8.0)

0 (0.0)

2 (3.3)

Eligible diagnosis, n (%)

 PTSD

3 (12.0)

6 (17.1)

9 (15.0)

 Complex PTSD

22 (88.0)

28 (80.0)

50 (83.3)

 Incorrectly Returned

0 (0.0)

1 (2.9)

1 (1.7)

Number of previous traumas, n (%)

 1 previous trauma

1 (4.0)

2 (5.7)

3 (5.0)

 2–3 previous traumas

8 (32.0)

8 (22.9)

16 (26.7)

 4–6 previous traumas

5 (20.0)

12 (34.3)

17 (28.3)

 ≥ 7

10 (40.0)

12 (34.3)

22 (36.7)

 Missing

1 (4.0)

1 (2.9)

2 (3.3)

Number of previous treatment attempts, n (%)

 0 attempts

5 (20.0)

4 (11.4)

9 (15.0)

 1–3 attempts

9 (36.0)

24 (69.0)

43 (55.0)

 4–6 attempts

7 (28.0)

5 (14.3)

12 (20.0)

 ≥ 7 attempts

4 (16.0)

1 (2.9)

5 (8.3)

 Missing

0 (0.0)

1 (2.9)

1 (1.7)

PTSD onset and diagnosis

 Time since PTSD onset (years), mean (SD)

17.92 (7.53)

13.10 (9.87)

15.29 (9.13)

 Time since confirmed PTSD diagnosis (years), mean (SD)

11.38 (7.57)

7.37 (5.68)

8.88 (6.67)

Baseline questionnaire, mean (SD)

 PCL-5 score

54.88 (10.84)

58.47 (10.62)

56.95 (10.77)

 WSAS score

25.28 (8.82)

23.92(7.88)

24.48 (8.24)

 EQ VAS Score

48.92 (23.71)

50.80 (19.28)

50.02 (21.07)

 PHQ 9 score

19.39 (5.70)

18.48 (5.88)

18.86 (5.78)

 GAD 7 score

15.55 (4.63)

15.45 (4.45)

15.55 (4.63)

 QPR score

43.72 (10.20)

44.46 (11.90)

44.15 (11.14)