Therapists find that treatment of those people who seek help because

Question

Therapists find that treatment of those people who seek help because they are unable to stop smoking or overeating is rarely successful. From these experiences, therapists have
concluded that such habits are intractable, and success in breaking them is rare. As surveys show, millions of people have dropped the habit of smoking, and many people have successfully managed a substantial weight loss.

If all of the statements are correct, an Explanation of their apparent contradiction is provided by the hypothesis that

A. there have been some successes in therapy, and those successes were counted in the surveys

B. it is easier to stop smoking than it is to stop overeating

C. it is easy to break the habits of smoking and overeating by exercising willpower

D. the group of people selected for the survey did not include those who failed to break their habits even after therapy

E. those who succeed in curing themselves do not go for treatment and so are not included in the therapists’ data

Bunuel · Accepted Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

If, as this choice suggests, the very people who would lead the therapists to view such habits as more tractable do not come for treatment, it is quite understandable why therapists persist in their pessimistic view. At the same time,  E is consistent with the survey results . Therefore, the last choice is the correct answer.

A is incorrect. Even assuming that this choice is true, no light is shed on why successes should be so rare in therapy, and yet, if the surveys are to be believed, so common overall. B is also incorrect. Since the comparative strength of habits is not an issue in the therapists’ findings or the surveys, it cannot have anything to do with the apparent contradiction; consequently, information about it cannot help resolve that contradiction. C is also not the correct answer choice. If C were true, the survey results would appear rather unremarkable, but the therapists’ findings would be baffling. The apparent contradiction would not be diminished but underscored. The fourth answer choice is incorrect. The survey results as reported focus on the numbers of people who have successfully fought a habit, not on the proportion of those who tried to break their habits who succeeded. This answer choice pertains only to the latter and so is essentially irrelevant.

gvij2017 · Answer

I narrowed down to D and E as both are good contenders.

D solve the paradox on both side. But E address the one side of paradox. 
D is correct choice.

arun6765 · Answer

IMO ans should be E.

If people were able to cure themselves then there were no reason for them to consult a therapist.

But survey included such people also who have successfully cured them while therapist have the bunch of people who are reluctant or unable to leave there habits.

AlfredNguyen · Answer

I chose E:
The point is the people who do not succeed in giving up smoking are those who seek for helps, in this case the helps are the therapies.
Choice E will explain best why the therapist see non succeeded patients, but there are millions in the survey.
Anyone has any other idea.

Sent from my iPhone using  GMAT Club Forum mobile app

SajjitaKundu · Answer

IMO the answer should be E. Only this brings out the reason why one group of people are not present in the other.

Gemelo90 · Answer

Count me in for option E. It indeed provides an explenation for the apparent contradiction: There is no need for people that stopped smoking to go to an therapist. In insurance theory that is called adverse selection.

aghosh54 · Answer

Millions of people mentioned in the survey are successful after they went through therapy. I think (D) doesn't clear in this regard.

TK0697 · Answer

Therapists find that treatment of those people who seek help because they are unable to stop smoking or overeating is rarely successful. From these experiences, therapists have
concluded that such habits are intractable, and success in breaking them is rare. As surveys show, millions of people have dropped the habit of smoking, and many people have successfully managed a substantial weight loss.

If all of the statements are correct, an Explanation of their apparent contradiction is provided by the hypothesis that

You must understand the paradox is discrepancy b/w therapy vs survey results. Correct ans must address the diff.

A. there have been some successes in therapy, and those successes were counted in the surveys

B. it is easier to stop smoking than it is to stop overeating
 
C. it is easy to break the habits of smoking and overeating by exercising willpower
 
D. the group of people selected for the survey did not include those who failed to break their habits even after therapy
 
E. those who succeed in curing themselves do not go for treatment and so are not included in the therapists’ data

Therapists find that treatment of those people who seek help because

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Therapists find that treatment of those people who seek help because

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615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

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