title: Psychopathology among persons responding to participation as normal controls in behavioral research studies.
abstract: This study examined the characteristics of persons responding to an advertisement to participate as normal controls in behavioral research studies. Applicants (N = 3,289) inquired by telephone for more information. Of the applicants responding by telephone, 18% met the criteria for a DSM-III-R diagnosis, including psychoactive substance abuse (9%), mood disorder (4%), personality disorder (3%), schizophrenia (1%), anxiety disorder (1%), and neurological disorder (16%). Thirty-two percent (n = 1,045) of individuals passing the telephone interview were evaluated in person. After in-person evaluation, 16% met the criteria for a DSM-III-R diagnosis, including psychoactive substance abuse (9%), mood disorder (3%), personality disorder (3%), schizophrenia (0.1%), anxiety disorder (1%), and neurological disorder (11%). Only 13% (n = 431) of individuals responding by telephone were included as normal controls in ongoing studies. Overall, 79% (n = 2,244) and 57% (n = 590) were excluded by telephone and in-person evaluation, respectively. These results suggest that a high percentage of individuals seeking to participate as normal controls in behavioral research studies have some psychopathology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Hoonmo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Koo
authors.forename: Don
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dougherty
authors.forename: Yusuf
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hassan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D035841:Behavioral Research; D035061:Control Groups; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology