Inclusion and exclusion strategies for conducting meta-analyses. (4th May 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Swift, Joshua K.; Wampold, Bruce E.
• Is Part Of: Psychotherapy research. Volume 28:Number 3(2018)
• Page Start: 356
• Page End: 366
• Publication Date: 2018-05-04
• Subjects: exclusion -- inclusion -- meta-analysis -- search strategies -- systematic review -- psychotherapy research; exclusão -- inclusão -- meta-análise -- estratégias de busca -- revisão sistemática -- pesquisa em psicoterapia; Ausschluss -- Einschluss -- Metaanalyse -- Suchstrategien -- systematisches Review -- Psychotherapieforschung; 排除 -- 納入 -- 後設分析 -- 搜尋策略 -- 系統文獻回顧 -- 心理治療研究; esclusione -- inclusione -- meta-analisi -- strategie di ricerca -- review sistematica -- ricerca in psicoterapia; Psychotherapy -- Periodicals; Psychotherapy -- Research -- Periodicals; Psychotherapy -- Periodicals; Psychothérapie -- Périodiques; Psychothérapie -- Recherche -- Périodiques; 616.891405
• DOI: 10.1080/10503307.2017.1405169
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1050-3307

Abstract

Abstract: Some of the most important decisions that a researcher will make when conducting a meta-analysis are decisions about the search strategies and inclusion/exclusion criteria. Decisions regarding inclusion/exclusion criteria serve to define the scope of a meta-analysis and search strategy decisions can have a large impact on how well the results of a meta-analysis actually represent the existing body of literature. In this article, we provide descriptions and recommendations for performing searches and making inclusion/exclusion decisions. We also provide a review of 65 meta-analyses of psychotherapy versus pharmacotherapy in order to offer frequency data on the use of various search strategies and inclusion/exclusion decisions in the field. Clinical or methodological significance of this article: This article provides a review of and recommendations for inclusion and exclusion strategies when conducting meta-analyses. The recommendations can provide guidance for future meta-analysts. This article also provides information for consumers that may be used to judge the quality of published meta-analyses.