A central assumption of research on locus of problem is that attributions are significant determinants of recommendations for treatment. This assumption was tested using both structured and unstructured measures of recommendations. Adults made attributions for locus of problems for children with behavior problems and then recommended personal or situational treatment on rating scales and in open-ended paragraphs. The amount of variance in recommendations for treatment accounted for by the attributions was significant only when recommendations were measured in the structured format. Results are discussed in terms of the ecological validity of research on clinical attributions.
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