Jerome Motto

So first let's talk about the original research.

Jerome Motto was at the University of California, San Francisco.

Between 1969 and 1974, there were over 3,000 people admitted to nine San Francisco psychiatric units for depression or suicidality, and they were interviewed at length.

After 30 days, 843 who had refused or dropped out of follow-up care were randomized.

In practice, most people received anywhere between 2 and 24, and many people moved away and were lost to follow-up.

Eleven people wrote back asking them to stop writing.

Motto counted everyone contacted even once in the contact group, including those who later accepted treatment.

He chose that as the conservative analysis, and it dilutes any effect, so it does work in his favour.