OBJECTIVE: Whereas the fact of attrition during the course of treatment is well documented, little is known about the factors that affect sample selection before the beginning of a study ("pretreatment attrition"). The present study reports on the degree and sources of pretreatment attrition at two sites of a multicenter study on panic disorder that compared treatment outcomes for imipramine and cognitive behavior therapy. METHOD: Data were collected at two clinical research sites, one with a pharmacological treatment orientation (N = 420) and one with a psychosocial treatment orientation (N = 208). RESULTS: The main source of pretreatment attrition was participant refusal. At both research sites, eligible patients most often refused participation because they were either unwilling to start treatment with imipramine (30.6% and 47.4%, respectively) or discontinue their current medication (22.6% and 35.1%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Results from comparative treatment outcome studies are limited not only to people who meet the study criteria but also to those who are willing to begin a medication treatment and discontinue their current medication.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: Whereas the fact of attrition during the course of treatment is well documented, little is known about the factors that affect sample selection before the beginning of a study ("pretreatment attrition"). The present study reports on the degree and sources of pretreatment attrition at two sites of a multicenter study on panic disorder that compared treatment outcomes for imipramine and cognitive behavior therapy. METHOD: Data were collected at two clinical research sites, one with a pharmacological treatment orientation (N = 420) and one with a psychosocial treatment orientation (N = 208). RESULTS: The main source of pretreatment attrition was participant refusal. At both research sites, eligible patients most often refused participation because they were either unwilling to start treatment with imipramine (30.6% and 47.4%, respectively) or discontinue their current medication (22.6% and 35.1%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Results from comparative treatment outcome studies are limited not only to people who meet the study criteria but also to those who are willing to begin a medication treatment and discontinue their current medication.
Authors: Wolfgang Lutz; Stefan G Hofmann; Julian Rubel; James F Boswell; M Katherine Shear; Jack M Gorman; Scott W Woods; David H Barlow Journal: J Consult Clin Psychol Date: 2014-01-20
Authors: Cathaleene Macias; Paul Barreira; William Hargreaves; Leonard Bickman; William Fisher; Elliot Aronson Journal: Am J Psychiatry Date: 2005-04 Impact factor: 18.112
Authors: Cathaleene Macias; Paul B Gold; William A Hargreaves; Elliot Aronson; Leonard Bickman; Paul J Barreira; Danson R Jones; Charles F Rodican; William H Fisher Journal: Adm Policy Ment Health Date: 2009-05-12