[sweeps]

First off, what you're calling "gorilla dust" is experience and a healthy dose of skepticism. How many times have we seen studies warning about some awful thing and then a year later more studies come out with the totally opposite conclusion? Way too many.

In this situation, the researchers' data is made up of court records from bankruptcies and, yes, surveys from the bankruptcy filers. Do you really think that someone is going to admit to a judge (or an overzealous researcher): "Yeah, I lived way beyond my means. I bought too big of a house, I had to have a new car every couple years, and I ate out 5 times a week. I don't even own a savings account. Therefore I'm declaring bankruptcy." Hell no. They're going to look for something that shifts the blame to other things. A medical bill or two is just the ticket to elicit some pity from the judge.

And no, you didn't "answer" the question about what the saving and spending patterns were before these bankruptcy was filed. That information is not available -- and probably for good reason.