Am J Psychiatry 1987; 144:275-282
Copyright © 1987 by American Psychiatric Association
Control groups for psychosocial intervention outcome studies
JM Strayhorn Jr
In psychosocial outcome research, as contrasted to pharmacologic research,
control groups receiving inert treatment, designed to raise expectations
but otherwise provide no service, are almost never indicated; this is true
because of methodologic as well as ethical reasons. Four types of
comparisons suffice as alternatives: treatment versus no treatment,
treatment versus minimal treatment, treatment A versus treatment B, and
dismantling. When choices are made among these types of comparisons with
power analysis and eight other factors taken into account, the questions of
outcome research should be answerable with maximum economic efficiency,
with maximum benefit to subjects, and without deception.
