Strengthen_Chemotherapy

[paresh_patil]

Numerous studies of chemotherapy patients over the last ten years have shown that patients who had regularly attended support groups or received counseling experienced significantly fewer side effects and shorter recovery times from chemotherapy than did patients who had not. Clearly, although the mainstream scientific community has been slow to acknowledge it, psychological support has an effect on the body's ability to heal.

Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the argument above?

A)The survival rates for chemotherapy patients in the study were virtually identical regardless of whether or not they received support.
B)The patients who did not attend support groups chose not to do so, even though they were healthy enough to attend.
C)Many medical doctors believe that the mind plays a role in the causation and prevention of illness.
D)The majority of chemotherapy patients must undergo more than one round of treatment.
E)Some hospitals do not conduct support groups on their premises for chemotherapy patients and their families.

I chose C, although B is the correct answer.

I did not understand how does B strengthen the argument above.

[ktlee1981]

Conclusion: Psychological support has an effect on the body's ability to heal.

What if, however, the reason why patients who attend support groups or received counseling were the healthiest of the patients, i.e. if only healthier patients could make it to the support groups? That would be a good reason why they had fewer side effects and shorter recovery times.

B addresses this possibility by stating that the sample used in the study (those attending support groups) are not qualitatively different from those who do not attend support groups.

[neha24]

i can help u to eliminate C. the argument is talking of cureration (lol recuperation there is no word cure ration )and not of causation and prevention of illness.so basically C is not coming close to our conclusion !!

[Nithyavasu]

Numerous studies of chemotherapy patients over the last ten years have shown that patients who had regularly attended support groups or received counseling experienced significantly fewer side effects and shorter recovery times from chemotherapy than did patients who had not. Clearly, although the mainstream scientific community has been slow to acknowledge it, psychological support has an effect on the body's ability to heal.

Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the argument above?

A)The survival rates for chemotherapy patients in the study were virtually identical regardless of whether or not they received support.
B)The patients who did not attend support groups chose not to do so, even though they were healthy enough to attend.
C)Many medical doctors believe that the mind plays a role in the causation and prevention of illness.
D)The majority of chemotherapy patients must undergo more than one round of treatment.
E)Some hospitals do not conduct support groups on their premises for chemotherapy patients and their families.

I chose C, although B is the correct answer.

I did not understand how does B strengthen the argument above.

I would not choose C. It didn't support the argument in any terms. It's better to eliminate option C and concentrate on other options