Groups of 106 early therapy Terminators and 176 Remainers differed significantly on 10-patient characteristics. Best predictors of duration were a Terminator-Remainer test battery plus rated motivation for psychotherapy. Therapists with marked interest in the patients' problems held significantly higher proportions of both predicted Terminators and Remainers in treatment. 7 other therapist characteristics did not substantially influence termination rates. Hiler's contention that predicted Terminators and Remainers respond differently to the same therapist attributes was not supported, but it was found that some therapists react differently to the 2 types of patients. The results indicate that Terminators and Remainders form distinguishable outpatient populations. The former reject psychotherapy, perhaps because they lack the behavioral repertoire required for participation. (16 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)