| Methods |
Randomised controlled trial |
| Participants |
58 participants mostly resulting from the troubles in Northern Ireland (23 women, 35 men) |
| Interventions |
12 weekly sessions of cognitive therapy (n = 29) vs waiting list (n = 29). Cross‐over trial. |
| Outcomes |
PDS, BDI, SDS |
| Notes |
Experienced therapists (1 social worker, 1 psychiatrist, and 3 nurse therapists). Treatment adherence does not seem to have been assessed. |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) |
Unclear risk |
Comment: The method of sequence generation was not reported. Participants were randomised remotely. |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
Low risk |
Quote: "An independent office allocated patients to immediate therapy or to wait followed by therapy on a stratified random basis using the minimisation method of Pocock. Assessors were not aware of the allocation algorithm". |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
Quote: "We carried out analyses on an intention to treat basis". Reasons for drop‐out were reported (9 from cognitive therapy and 3 from waiting list). |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) |
Low risk |
Comment: All specified outcomes were reported, |
| Other bias |
High risk |
Treatment adherence was not measured. |
| Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias)
All outcomes |
High risk |
Comment: Participants were aware of their allocation. |
| Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias)
All outcomes |
Unclear risk |
Comment: Measures were self‐reported, but it is unclear how these were administered. |
