Table 1.

 Baseline characteristics of patients with post-traumatic stress disorder allocated to immediate cognitive therapy or to a waiting list. Values are numbers (percentages) unless stated otherwise

Variable	Immediate cognitive therapy group (n=29)	Waiting list group (n=29)
Mean (SD) post-traumatic diagnosis scale	34.7 (7.8)	36.8 (6.8)
Mean (SD) Beck depression inventory	35.4 (9.9)	35.6 (11.3)
Mean (SD) Sheehan disability scale	7.8 (1.4)	8.6 (1.6)
Mean (SD) age (years)	44.1 (11.3)	43.7 (12.3)
Women	10 (34)	13 (45)
Civilian	14 (48)	21 (72)
Police, soldier, or other profession with active involvement	15 (52)	8 (28)
Experienced multiple traumatic events	25 (86)	22 (76)
Median (range) No of traumatic events	3 (1-9)	3 (1-10)
Median (range) years since index event	8 (0.3-33)	5.4 (0.2-32)
Median (range) duration (years) of post-traumatic stress disorder	5 (0.3-25)	5.4 (0.2-32)
Characteristics of index trauma event:
Related to Northern Ireland “troubles”	24 (83)	25 (86)
Terrorist events outside Northern Ireland	2 (7)	1 (4)
Bombings	14 (48)	9 (31)
Shootings and killings	4 (14)	9 (31)
Taken hostage	6 (21)	2 (7)
Physical assault	2 (7)	6 (21)
Road injuries	3 (10)	2 (7)
Riots	0	1 (3)
Experienced event	19 (66)	24 (83)
Witnessed event	10 (34)	5 (17)
Injured in event	4 (14)	7 (24)
Any axis I comorbidity*:	23 (79)	19 (66)
Major depression	21 (72)	16 (55)
Panic disorder	6 (21)	6 (21)
Specific phobias	2 (7)	4 (14)
Alcohol or substance use disorder	4 (14)	4 (14)
Generalised anxiety disorder	2 (7)	1 (3)
Social phobia	1 (3)	1(3)
Other anxiety disorder	2 (7)	0
Bulimia nervosa	0	1 (3)
Any psychotropic drugs taken:	18 (62)	21 (72)
Antidepressants	15 (52)	20 (69)
Benzodiazepines	4 (14)	5 (17)
Hypnotics	1 (3)	1 (3)
Previous psychological treatment for trauma	18 (62)	13 (45)

*Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition.