Mortality in Sample

Mortality in the sample refers to a problem that arises when employing a longitudinal design and participants who start the research process are unable to complete the process. Essentially, the persons begin the research process but then fail to complete the entire set of research procedures and measurements. The impact of the mortality, or dropout, rate of participants poses a threat to any empirical evaluation because the reasons for the lack of completion may relate to some underlying process that undermines any claim. This entry describes the process of mortality and the implications for the conduct of research as well as different means to assess or prevent the occurrence.

Defining Mortality in an Investigation

Suppose a researcher wants to examine the effectiveness ...

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