TY - JOUR
T1 - Identification of Real and Artifactual Moderators of Effect Size in Meta-Analysis
AU - Collins, Mark
AU - Carey, Timothy
PY - 2015
Y1 - 2015
N2 - This article argues that while meta-analytic studies are widely used in psychological literature, heterogeneity and the potential for confounding remain major problems in the interpretation of meta-analytic study results. The article demonstrates the use of exploratory analysis including graphical methods prior to meta-analysis, and introduces a methodology to screen for artifactual effects. These procedures are illustrated on effect size data comparing depression treatment outcome from psychotherapy versus pharmacotherapy. Results support prior findings of a nonsignificant difference in effect size between the two treatments. They also support findings that treatment type accounts for only a very small proportion of outcome variance. However, the results indicate that some previously reported covariates of depression treatment outcome may be artifactual.
AB - This article argues that while meta-analytic studies are widely used in psychological literature, heterogeneity and the potential for confounding remain major problems in the interpretation of meta-analytic study results. The article demonstrates the use of exploratory analysis including graphical methods prior to meta-analysis, and introduces a methodology to screen for artifactual effects. These procedures are illustrated on effect size data comparing depression treatment outcome from psychotherapy versus pharmacotherapy. Results support prior findings of a nonsignificant difference in effect size between the two treatments. They also support findings that treatment type accounts for only a very small proportion of outcome variance. However, the results indicate that some previously reported covariates of depression treatment outcome may be artifactual.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84924067710&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.mendeley.com/research/identification-real-artifactual-moderators-effect-size-metaanalysis
U2 - 10.1080/00273171.2014.963193
DO - 10.1080/00273171.2014.963193
M3 - Article
VL - 50
SP - 109
EP - 125
JO - Multivariate Behavioral Research
JF - Multivariate Behavioral Research
SN - 0027-3171
IS - 1
ER -