Confounding of personality and social class characteristics in research on premature termination.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine whether previous research in the area of premature termination had confounded personality with social class variables. It was hypothesized that while middle-and lower-class patients might differ on three personality characteristics previously shown to be related to premature termination, no differences on these personality characteristics would be found between patients who terminated and those who remained within any single social class. The Terminator-Remainer Scale was administered to 34 lower-and 34 middle-class male outpatients. Half of each group was identified as terminators or remainers. A 2X2 factorial analysis of variance with planned comparisons was used to test the hypothesis. The results confirmed the hypothesis for the Behavior Disturbance and Modified F scales but not for the modified Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale. In addition, it was found that the prediction of termination with the Terminator-Remainer Scale seemed to be made primarily on the basis of social class.

What Factors Influence Therapy Drop Out?

“…Stern et al (1975), who assessed 68 clients in an outpatient clinic, found no significant differences between those who continued in treatment and those who dropped out.…”

A note on the confounding of personality and social class characteristics in research on premature termination.

“…The recent article by Stern, Moore, and Gross (1975) pertaining to research on premature termination merits some comment. Even though these authors appear overly severe in their criticism of possible methodological shortcomings in some previously published studies, they apparently have overlooked some other important methodological problems that limit the generalizability of their own results and conclusions.…”

“…Largely on the basis of a review of some older studies, Stern et al (1975) hypothesized "that the premature terminator's personality characteristics have been confounded with the personality characteristics of those patients who terminate most frequently, i.e., lower-class patients" (pp. 341-342).…”

A reply to Garfield.

“…The comment by Garfield on the article by Stern, Moore, and Gross is responded to with specific reference to the adequacy of the measure of social class used in previous studies and to the interpretation of the data offered by Garfield. Several specific questions that Garfield asks about the Stern et al article are answered. Garfield (1977) points to some shortcomings in the study of Stern, Moore, and Gross (1975) to which we would like to respond. He points out that our study was overly critical of previous research in the area of premature termination.…”