Table 2 Mean and standard deviations for continuous outcome measures at baseline and post-test in whole sample and selected subsets

GAD-2

Total sample

438

1.23

1.73

336

1.21

1.68

− 0.02

Perceived worsened mental health^a

97

2.02

1.96

95

2.35

1.95

+ 0.33*

Perceived better mental health^b

52

0.96

1.58

51

0.86

1.33

− 0.10

Perceived no change in mental health

203

0.84

1.40

190

0.74

1.32

− 0.10

PHQ-2

Total sample

438

1.21

1.53

340

1.25

1.44

+ 0.04

Perceived worsened mental health^a

97

1.93

1.70

95

2.35

1.63

+ 0.42**

Perceived better mental health^b

52

0.87

1.16

51

0.67

0.86

− 0.20

Perceived no change in mental health

203

0.91

1.33

194

0.86

1.15

− 0.05

GHSQ

Total sample

438

34.53

8.60

341

34.37

9.53

− 0.16

Perceived worsened mental health^a

97

33.76

8.60

95

31.82

9.32

-1.94

Perceived better mental health^b

52

35.12

9.13

51

36.27

10.58

+ 1.15

Perceived no change in mental health

203

35.16

8.34

195

35.11

9.14

− 0.05

Symptomatic at baseline

121

32.81

8.45

90

31.42

9.55

-1.39

No history of mental illness

338

35.14

8.47

269

34.82

9.67

− 0.32

History of mental illness

69

33.22

8.86

50

32.54

8.49

− 0.68

Male

322

34.58

8.71

249

34.72

9.97

+ 0.14

Female

107

35.24

7.76

84

33.81

8.36

-1.43

GAD-7

Symptomatic at baseline^c

121

9.52

6.65

89

7.45

7.03

-2.07

No history of mental illness

64

7.61

6.26

50

5.90

6.66

-1.71

History of mental illness

12.21

6.52

28

9.43

7.32

-2.78

Male

64

7.89

6.63

47

5.64

6.71

-2.25

Female

56

11.25

6.25

41

9.24

6.83

-2.01

PHQ-8

Symptomatic at baseline^c

121

9.41

7.38

90

7.53

7.87

-1.88

No history of mental illness

64

6.53

5.99

50

6.22

7.33

− 0.31

History of mental illness

39

13.13

7.85

29

10.00

8.50

-3.13

Male

64

8.78

6.60

48

6.58

7.62

-2.2

Female

56

15.38

5.35

41

8.24

7.82

-1.65