researcher selects a sample of 65-year-olds and interviews and tests them every two years for 14 years. Over these years, some of the subjects die or drop out of the study. This phenomenon is referred to as _______.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Attrition refers to the loss of participants over time in a longitudinal study, typically due to factors such as death, dropout, or failure to respond to follow-up. Terminal drop refers to a rapid decline in cognitive functioning that is sometimes observed in the months or years before death. Longitudinal loss is not a commonly used term in this context and selective bias refers to a situation where certain types of participants are more likely to drop out of a study, potentially biasing the results.

Researcher Selects a Sample of 65-Year-Olds and Interviews and Tests