Moderating Effect Of Variables Research Articles

Multiple‐stressor effects on leaf litter decomposition in freshwater ecosystems: A meta‐analysis

Abstract Recent years have witnessed a surge in research on the effects of multiple stressors in freshwater ecosystems. While studies have increased, the synthesis of their findings into a broader understanding of ecosystem‐level effects remains an ongoing endeavour. Leaf litter decomposition, a frequently investigated and pivotal ecosystem function in freshwaters, is sensitive to changes in abiotic conditions and biotic communities, and therefore susceptible to multiple‐stressor effects. Here, we synthesize findings from 27 manipulative experimental studies encompassing 61 responses of litter decomposition to paired stressors such as warming, nutrient enrichment and emerging pollutants in freshwater ecosystems. We calculated the individual and overall interaction effect sizes resulting from two stressors occurring simultaneously. Furthermore, we analysed the effect of moderator variables in the size and direction of interaction effect sizes using a meta‐analytical approach. Although the vote‐counting method showed additive interactions to dominate individual observations (91.8%), weighted random‐effects meta‐analysis revealed an overall antagonistic interaction between stressors (i.e. the cumulative effect of paired stressors on litter decomposition was less than the sum of their single effects). Our results emphasized the influence of experimental characteristics such as macroinvertebrate involvement, habitat type (lentic vs. lotic) and litter quality (assumed from plant mycorrhizal association) in shaping the responses of litter decomposition to multiple stressors. Our meta‐analysis highlights the need to incorporate local ecological complexities in manipulative experiments to improve predictions of multiple‐stressor effects on biodiversity and ecosystem functions. The present study underscores the importance of considering biotic interactions and adopting the metacommunity framework in conservation and restoration actions to support the management of freshwater ecosystems in an era of rapid global change. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Prevalence of gestational diabetes in the United States and Canada: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundAn understanding of the prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus among pregnant women is essential at local, national and international level so that appropriate health care interventions can be planned, financed and delivered.MethodsA systematic review and meta-analysis of primary research reporting the prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus in Canada or the United States were carried out according to Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines. Four electronic databases were systematically searched in June 2023 to identify articles that reported gestational diabetes mellitus prevalence using universal screening in pregnant women from eligible general population samples. Estimates were combined using a random effects model, and the effects of moderator variables analysed.ResultsThere were 36 separate samples of women or deliveries (total sample size 1,550,917). Overall mean prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus was 6.9% (95% CI: 5.7–8.3); 13.7% (95% CI: 10.7–17.3) in studies using a one-step screening strategy, and 5.2% (95% CI: 4.4–6.1) in those using a two-step strategy. Heterogeneity in technical methods between studies produced differences in estimates, as did different diagnostic thresholds used.ConclusionsThe meta-analysis suggests a slightly higher prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus in Canada and the United States, compared to Europe, but highlights the need for standardised protocols for estimating gestational diabetes mellitus prevalence.

Efficacy of mentalization-based therapy in treating self-harm: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Mentalization-based therapy (MBT) and its adapted version for adolescents (MBT-A) are repeatedly highlighted as promising treatments for reducing self-harm, particularly in borderline personality disorder (BPD). Despite the availability of publications providing evidence of their efficacy in reducing self-harm, recent meta-analyses have yielded mixed results. To inform best-practice clinical decision-making, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis. We aimed to disentangle findings for both adolescents and adults on the efficacy of MBT(-A) in reducing self-harm (primary outcome) and symptoms of BPD and depression (secondary outcomes). Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, PubMed/Medline, and Cochrane Review Database were searched for eligible studies published until September 2022. In total, 14 studies were identified, comprising 612 participants from nine MBT studies (six pre-post, three RCTs) and five MBT-A studies (two pre-post, three RCTs). Aggregated effect sizes were estimated using random-effects models. Meta-regressions were conducted to assess the effect of moderator variables (treatment duration, drop-out rates, and age) on effect sizes. Overall, both MBT and MBT-A demonstrated promising effects in reducing self-harm (g = -0.82, 95% CI -1.15 to -0.50), borderline personality disorder (g = -1.08, 95% CI -1.38 to -0.77), and depression (g = -1.1, 95% CI -1.52 to -0.68) symptoms. However, when compared to control interventions (TAU, SCM), MBT(-A) did not prove to be more efficacious, with the exception of MBT showing superior effects on BPD symptoms in adults (g = -0.56, 95% CI -0.88 to -0.24). Although the pre-post evaluations seem promising, this analysis, including RCTs, showed no superiority of MBT(-A) to control conditions, so that prioritizing the application of MBT (-A) for the treatment of self-harm is not supported. Possible explanations and further implications are discussed.

Ethnic Minority Contact and the Similarities between Adolescent-Reported Parental and Self-Reported Far Right-Wing Attitudes

AbstractRecent developments in society, together with an increase in the number of far-right motivated crimes in Germany, suggest that far right-wing attitudes are becoming increasingly popular within public opinion. Since political attitudes are shaped within the family and peer setting during the adolescent stage, assessing the potential interplay of family and peer relationships with regard to such attitudes appears essential. The present study aims to explore (1) the relationship between perceived parental far right-wing attitudes, as reported by adolescents, and adolescents’ self-reported far right-wing attitudes, as well as (2) the unique and moderating effects of variables related to the contact hypothesis (ethnic minority friends and exposure to ethnic minority group members in the social environment). Using data from a representative school survey of seventh and ninth grade German adolescents, multilevel linear regression models indicated a statistically significant positive association between adolescent-reported parental far right-wing attitudes and adolescents’ far right-wing attitudes. Furthermore, the analyses demonstrated a small but statistically significant moderating effect of friendship with individuals of an ethnic minority: the relationship between parental and adolescent far right-wing attitudes was weaker for adolescents who had more ethnic minority friends. Thus, adolescents who were friends with individuals of an ethnic minority appeared to be less congruent with their parents’ far right-wing attitudes, compared to adolescents without any ethnic minority friends. In contrast, the overall level of exposure to ethnic minority group members in the social environment did not affect the strength of the relationship between perceived parental and adolescent far right-wing attitudes.

An investigation of the effects of moderator variables on the lower heating value estimation of lignite deposits in Turkey

An investigation of the effects of moderator variables on the lower heating value estimation of lignite deposits in Turkey

Parent Versus Individual Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Youth Anxiety: Protocol for an Overview of Systematic Reviews Over Time

Background Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has shown to be highly effective for treating youth anxiety; yet, there is ongoing debate as to whether involving parents improves outcomes. For example, parents who attend may learn CBT skills to help their child in an ongoing way; yet, they could also distract their child from treatment depending on how they interact. As evidence has accumulated, reviews and meta-analyses have attempted to examine the most effective treatment format. These reviews often have high impact in the field; however, they use varied methodologies and draw on different primary studies. Different formats of CBT for youth anxiety have been developed in relation to parental involvement, including youth-only CBT (Y-CBT; where the youth alone attends treatment), youth and parent or family CBT (F-CBT; where youths and their parents attend together), and, most recently, parent-only CBT (P-CBT; where the parent alone attends). Objective This protocol describes an overview of systematic reviews comparing the relative efficacy of different formats of CBT for youth anxiety (Y-CBT, F-CBT, and P-CBT) over the study period. The protocol will also examine the moderating effects of variables on the efficacy of different formats; for example, youths’ age and long-term outcomes. Methods We will analyze the results of systematic reviews that compare different levels and types of parental involvement in CBT for youth anxiety over the study period. A systematic review of medical and psychological databases (PsycINFO, PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Embase) will identify reviews comparing the efficacy of different formats of parent involvement in CBT for youth anxiety. Data extraction will include (1) author names (and year of publication), (2) review design, (3) age range, (4) analysis type, (5) conclusions, and (6) moderators. This overview will present the relative efficacy of formats chronologically in a table and then describe the main results longitudinally in a narrative summary. A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews, 2nd Edition (AMSTAR 2), quality rating will be given to each review, and the amount of primary study overlap across reviews will be quantified. Results The last search was conducted on July 1, 2022. The reviews were published between 2005 and 2022. We found a total of 3529 articles, of which we identified 25 for the final analysis. Conclusions This overview will compare and report the relative efficacy of Y-CBT, P-CBT, and F-CBT for youth anxiety over the study period, describe the heterogeneity across reviews and primary studies, and consider the moderating effect of relevant variables. It will describe the limitations of an overview, including the potential for nuance in the data to be lost, and provide conclusions and recommendations for conducting systematic reviews regarding parental involvement for CBT for youth anxiety. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) RR1-10.2196/48077

The Relation Between Need for Cognition and Academic Achievement: A Meta-Analysis

Need for cognition is conceptualized as an individual’s intrinsic motivation to engage in and enjoy effortful cognitive activities. Over the past three decades, there has been increasing interest in how need for cognition impacts and correlates with learning performance. This meta-analysis summarized 136 independent effect sizes (N = 53,258) for the association between need for cognition and academic achievement and investigated the moderating effects of variables related to research context, methodology, and instrumentation. The overall effect size weighted by inverse variance and using a random effects model was found to be small, r = .20, with a 95% confidence interval ranging from .18 to .22. The association between need for cognition and learning performance was moderated by grade level, geographic region, exposure to intervention, and outcome measurement tool. The implications of these findings for practice and future research are discussed.

Examining Environmental Turbulence Intensity: A Strategic Agility and Innovativeness Approach on Firm Performance in Environmental Turbulence Situations

Environmental turbulence refers to the unpredictable changes, developments, and uncertainties in a firm’s external environment. Environmental turbulence consists of market turbulence, technological turbulence, and competition intensity. It causes a shortening of firms’ product life cycles, changes in customer demands, and rapid technological developments. Companies do not control the changes in their external environment. In addition, they cannot manage change by using traditional methods where environmental factors are constantly changing. Thus, environmental turbulence and strategic plans might be reconsidered in today’s business world. This article examines the intensity of environmental turbulence from the strategic agility and innovativeness perspective. The study was conducted using data from Turkey, including medium-high or high technology firms that were located in a technopark or had an R&D center. The survey method was used to collect data for the study and the SPSS Process macro was used to analyze the effects of moderator variables on the relationship between strategic agility and firm innovativeness. Findings indicate that strategic agility positively affects firm innovativeness and that this effect might decrease due to increases in turbulence intensity. Moreover, firm innovativeness positively affects performance, and this effect becomes more robust with increases in turbulence intensity. This study provides practical implications for companies and researchers depending on environmental turbulence diversity.

A Meta-Analysis of Green Supply Chain Management Practices and Firm Performance

Integrating green practices into supply chain management is an important issue for companies to combine both environmental responsibility and the goal of increasing profits. In this paper, we present a meta-analysis of the relationship between green supply chain management (GSCM) practices and firm performance. By using robust variance estimation, we can appropriately analyze dependent effect sizes that are common in the studies to be included in this meta-analysis. In this way, more information is extracted from the primary studies and the effects of moderator variables can be examined simultaneously. Based on 408 correlation coefficients (N = 30,568) from 134 studies, we find a significant mean positive relationship between GSCM practices and firm performance in general (r = 0.442), and in particular, for market-based, managerial, and accounting-based performance. However, the correlations vary considerably across studies. To explain this heterogeneity, we analyze the influence of different GSCM practices and organizational characteristics.

A meta-analysis of the association between event-related rumination and posttraumatic growth: The Event-Related Rumination Inventory and the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory.

Trauma can disrupt an individual's core beliefs about themselves, others, and the world. Posttraumatic growth (PTG) is thought to be the outcome of a reconstruction process involving ruminative processing. This meta-analysis examined the strength of the associations between event-related intrusive and deliberate rumination and PTG. The moderating effects of variables including age, time since trauma exposure, and trauma type were examined. Eight databases were searched for English-language, peer reviewed studies examining the associations between PTG and types of event-related rumination in adults. Effect sizes (Pearson's r) were extracted and analyzed, and study quality was assessed using the Study Quality Assessment Tool for Observational and Cohort studies. In total, 46 studies were included based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. A significant main effect was observed for the association between retrospectively reported deliberate rumination that occurred soon after a traumatic event and PTG, r = .45, 95% CI [.41, .49]. There was significant variability in effect sizes, and the strength of this association differed according to age. The association between intrusive rumination and PTG was not significant and varied in direction. Deliberate rumination that occurred relatively soon following trauma exposure was shown to be positively associated with PTG. The findings highlight the importance of supporting trauma survivors to engage in the deliberate cognitive processing of their experiences to encourage PTG. Longitudinal research is needed to further delineate the temporal role of event-related rumination in PTG development.

Is learning really just believing? A meta-analysis of self-efficacy and achievement in SLA

The positive psychology movement (Seligman, 1998) has contributed to the proclamation of a positive turn in second language acquisition (SLA) (MacIntyre et al., 2016). Within the context of individual differences, self-efficacy (Bandura, 1997), an individual’s judgment of their capability to achieve goals, has gained particular interest in language learning (e.g., Lake, 2013). The present study meta-analyzes a body of research that has investigated the relationship between second language (L2) self-efficacy and L2 achievement by exploring 1) reporting practices in this domain, 2) the strength and direction of the relationship, and 3) the effects of moderator variables on the self-efficacy-achievement link. A comprehensive literature search uncovered 37 studies, which contributed to a total of 40 independent samples (N = 23,050). The average observed effect in the sample was r = .46. A moderator analysis showed systematic variations in the effect size for learners’ first language, target language, proficiency level, and both self-efficacy and achievement type. We discuss our findings with respect to theoretical constructs and methodological practices and suggest implications for L2 pedagogy and future research into self-efficacy in SLA.

A comparative analysis on the acceptance and use of telemedicine between physicians and patients in selected Metro Manila healthcare institutions

Telemedicine is no longer only relevant to the geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA). Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the Philippine government has been encouraging nationwide adoption of remote medical care to lessen the risks for both patients and healthcare workers. Its implementation, however, lacks an established framework from the government. Given these conditions, it is important to engage in studies investigating the existing acceptance and use of emerging technology such as telemedicine. This study compared the acceptance and use of telemedicine of Filipino physicians and patients in selected Metro Manila healthcare institutions. A survey questionnaire patterned from the modified Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model of Venkatesh et al. (2016) was constructed to gather data. It was deployed via Google forms to 120 respondents, including 60 physicians and 60 patients. The data gathered were then analyzed by Spearman-rank order correlation and Cramér's V for the correlation analysis, whereas descriptive statistics was used in analyzing the user groups’ demographics, used and preferred modalities, and overall rating of experience in telemedicine consultation. For the physician user group, relationships between the type of hospital and facilitating conditions (FC), and computer anxiety (CA) and performance expectancy (PE) have yielded significant correlations (p-value<.05). For the patient user group, relationships between the type of hospital and effort expectancy (EE), and CA and FC have significant correlations. Furthermore, both user groups exhibited significant correlations between perceived security (PS) and the four constructs of telemedicine acceptance and use, and likewise with the four constructs and behavioral intention (BI). The majority of both user groups use and prefer social media platforms in a telemedicine consultation. Moreover, data also revealed that the majority of user groups were satisfied with their telemedicine experience. Both user groups have varying factors at play on using telemedicine based on the limited data. This study sheds light on what areas of concern may be addressed for future research and policies which can improve the development of telemedicine in the country. For future studies, the researchers recommend the utilization of the structural equation modeling (SEM) statistical analysis technique to determine the moderating effects of variables involved in the study.

The Effect of Using Technology in Education on Academic Achievement of Students: The Case of Geographical Information Systems

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of Geographic Information Systems, one of the educational technologies, on the academic performance of students. In accordance with this purpose, to combine the results of independent experimental studies, the meta-analysis method was put into use. Within this context, as a result of the literature review, in the meta-analysis, 17 experimental studies conducted between the years 2007 and 2020 were included. The total sample size of the mentioned studies was 620 in the experimental group and 607 in the control group. Thalheimer and Cook's (2002) classification was used in calculating the effect size values in the study in which the random effects model was used. Publication bias in research; Funnel Plot was tested with Rosenthal Fail Safe N value, cut and fill method of Duval and Tweedie and Begg-Mazumdar statistics, and studies included in meta-analysis were found to be heterogeneous. The effect of moderator variables, which are thought to influence academic achievement, was examined. Q and p significance tests were used to calculate the effect of moderator variables. According to the results of the study, it has been determined that GIS has a very wide (+1,193) effect on academic achievement. Positive average effect size indicates a change in favour of the experimental group. It was concluded that among the moderator variables, the study type, class level and sample size did not create a significant change in the effect size, and the year variable created a significant difference in the effect size.

The Effects of Pre-Task Planning on Second Language Writing: A Systematic Review of Experimental Studies

Abstract There are both pedagogical and theoretical grounds for asking second language writers to plan before they start writing. The question then arises whether pre-task planning (PTP) improves written output. To address this question, this article reviewed 32 studies by comparing the effect of PTP either with no planning or with unpressured online planning (OLP). These studies also investigated the moderating effect of variables relating to the writer participants, the nature of the planning, and the writing tasks. The main findings are: (1) There is no clear evidence that PTP leads to better overall writing quality when this is measured using rating rubrics, (2) PTP generally results in more fluent writing, (3) its impact on syntactical and lexical complexity is inconsistent and negligible, (4) OLP does sometimes result in increased linguistic accuracy, and (5) there is insufficient evidence to reach clear conclusions about the role that moderating variables have on the impact of PTP, but the results suggest that collaborative (as opposed to individual planning) can lead to increased accuracy and that PTP tends to lead to more complex language when the writing task is a complex one. The article concludes with a set of principles to ensure better quality research and three general proposals for the kind of future research needed.

Willingness to Adopt Health Information Among Social Question-and-Answer Community Users in China: Cross-sectional Survey Study.

BackgroundCOVID-19 has spread around the world and has increased the public’s need for health information in the process. Meanwhile, in the context of lockdowns and other measures for preventing SARS-CoV-2 spread, the internet has surged as a web-based resource for health information. Under these conditions, social question-and-answer communities (SQACs) are playing an increasingly important role in improving public health literacy. There is great theoretical and practical significance in exploring the influencing factors of SQAC users’ willingness to adopt health information.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to establish an extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology model that could analyze the influence factors of SQAC users’ willingness to adopt health information. Particularly, we tried to test the moderating effects that different demographic characteristics had on the variables’ influences.MethodsThis study was conducted by administering a web-based questionnaire survey and analyzing the responses from a final total of 598 valid questionnaires after invalid data were cleaned. By using structural equation modelling, the influencing factors of SQAC users’ willingness to adopt health information were analyzed. The moderating effects of variables were verified via hierarchical regression.ResultsPerformance expectation (β=.282; P<.001), social influence (β=.238; P=.02), and facilitating conditions (β=.279; P=.002) positively affected users’ willingness to adopt health information, whereas effort expectancy (P=.79) and perceived risk (P=.41) had no significant effects. Gender had a significant moderating effect in the structural equation model (P<.001).ConclusionsSQAC users’ willingness to adopt health information was evidently affected by multiple factors, such as performance expectation, social influence, and facilitating conditions. The structural equation model proposed in this study has a good fitting degree and good explanatory power for users’ willingness to adopt health information. Suggestions were provided for SQAC operators and health management agencies based on our research results.

Review of problem-based learning trends in 2010-2020: A meta-analysis study of the effect of problem-based learning in enhancing mathematical problem-solving skills of Indonesian students

The present study analyzes various inconsistent research findings on the effect of problem-based learning (PBL) in enhancing students’ mathematical problem-solving skills (MPSS) in Indonesia. A meta-analysis of 50 primary studies that conform to the inclusion criteria was conducted to summarize, estimate, and evaluate findings of the effect of PBL by analyzing the heterogeneity of the studies. Heterogeneity analysis was conducted by analyzing the effect of moderator variables, namely the characteristics of sample and publication. The analysis tool used the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) application by selecting the Hedge’s equation to determine its effect size. The “One study removed” tool in the CMA application was used to analyze the sensitivity of effect size data, and publication bias was assessed by the funnel plot, fill and trim test, and Rosenthal’s fail-safe N test. The findings of the study showed that the overall implementation of PBL had a larger positive effect significantly compared to conventional learning on the students’ MPSS in Indonesia based on a random effect model. The characteristics of the education level and research area significantly affected the heterogeneity of the effect of PBL on students’ MPSS. Thus, these findings suggest that mathematics teachers and lecturers should choose PBL as one of the best solutions in implementing Mathematics learning in the classroom to enhance MPSS. Furthermore, they should pay attention and consider the education level of students and the area where students learn in implementing PBL in enhancing students’ MPSS.

A Meta-Analytic Reliability Generalization Study of the Oxford Happiness Scale in Turkish Sample

The purpose of this study was to analyze the meta-analytical reliability generalization of short form and long form of the Oxford Happiness Scale (OHS) for Turkish sample. In addition, how different moderator variables affect reliability coefficients was examined. A number of criteria have been set to determine the studies to be included in meta-analysis. Of 95 Cronbach’s Alpha coefficients obtained from 92 studies that were selected according to criteria were included in the meta-analysis. In the data analysis, reliability generalization based on meta-analysis was used. The effect of moderator variables on variability in reliability estimations as effect size was examined by Analog ANOVA. As a result of the research, it was found that the mean alpha was .81 for overall studies; .76 for the short form and .87 for the long form of OHS. In addition, it was concluded that number of items had a statistically significant effect on the reliability estimation in terms of heterogeneity of true effect sizes, and sample type had a statistically significant effect on the reliability estimation for OHS (long-form). But sample type had no effect on the reliability estimation for OHS-S (short-form), and field of study had no effect for both short and long form reliability estimates.

Grey matter abnormalities in first-episode mania: A systematic review and meta-analysis of voxel-based morphometry studies.

It has been proposed that different stages of bipolar disorder may be underpinned by distinct neurobiological substrates. However, structural neuroimaging studies in early stages of the illness are limited by small sample sizes yielding inconsistent findings. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis, therefore, was to identify regional grey matter volume (GMV) changes that are consistently associated with first episode of mania (FEM). Following PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a systematic search of the literature to identify Voxel-Based Morphometry (VBM) studies in FEM patients compared with healthy individuals. We then conducted a voxel-wise meta-analysis using Seed-based d-Mapping technique. Finally, we performed univariate meta-regression analyses to explore the potential effects of moderator variables including age, gender, and percentage of lithium users on GMV alterations. We identified 15 VBM studies and included 12 studies in the meta-analysis. Four studies found no regional differences in GM volumes while other 11 studies reported volume changes in frontal and temporal regions as well as anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), cerebellum and basal ganglia. The meta-analysis revealed a single cluster of GMV reduction in bilateral pregenual ACC in patients with FEM compared to healthy individuals (P<.001). The Egger's test showed no evidence of publication bias at peak voxel level (P=.447). Meta-regression analyses revealed no significant effects of moderators evaluated. Structural brain changes are evident in the early stages of bipolar disorder. GMV reduction in bilateral pregenual ACC is the most consistent finding in VBM studies of FEM.

THE EFFECT OF FIRM CHARACTERISTICS AND COLLABORATION EXPERIENCE ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DECISION-MAKERS BEHAVIORAL PREFERENCES AND UNIVERSITY’S INNOVATIONS ADOPTION

This study aims to determine the effect of moderator variables on the relationship between decision-makers behavioral preferences and innovation adoption. Moderator variables are collaboration experience with university and firm characteristics such as ownership of the firm, size of the firm, and status of the firm. There is still a limited understanding of decision-makers behavioral preferences in the adoption of innovations from university, even though this understanding is needed to enhance the success of university and industry collaboration. This study explores several moderator variables that have not been previously studied together before on the relationship between decision-makers behavioral preferences and innovation adoption. This study distributes questionnaires to 365 respondents who are decision-makers of food and beverage firms in Jakarta and surrounding areas. Quantitative analysis of SEM data was carried out with LISREL. The results showed that decision-makers behavior preferences have a significant relationship with innovations adoption and only the status of the firm and collaboration experience with university influence the relationship between decision-makers behavioral preferences and innovations adoption. The results of this study reflect that some moderator variables have a significant effect on the relationship between decision-makers behavioral preferences and innovations adoption. Future research may employ other moderator variables such as government regulations to find out its influence on the adoption of innovation from the university.

Tapering strategies applied to plyometric jump training: a systematic review with meta-analysis of randomized-controlled trials.

The purpose of this systematic review was to analyze the effect of plyometric jump training (PJT) applied in conjunction with tapering strategies on the jump performance of team-sport athletes. The meta-analysis included: 1) randomized-controlled studies that incorporated a PJT program; 2) cohorts of team-sport athletes; 3) jump performance assessments; and 4) studies that incorporated a programmed taper. A systematic search was conducted in distinct electronic databases for relevant studies. Aside from jump performance, the extracted data included characteristics of the participants, PJT, and tapering. Means and standard deviations were used to calculate the effect sizes (ES). To assess the effects of moderator variables, subgroup analyses were performed. The statistical significance level was set as P<0.05. From 7020 records initially identified, 14 studies were eligible for meta-analysis. Across all included studies, there was a moderate, significant improvement in jump performance (ES=0.73; P<0.001). Additionally, the subgroup analysis demonstrated that the duration and intensity of the taper and the volume of the PJT induced similar improvements in jump performance (P<0.01). In summary, PJT interventions that included a programmed taper induced significant improvements in jump performance in team-sport athletes. These effects were observed after different tapering strategies in terms of volume, taper duration, and the type of PJT prescribed.