Series Of Meta-analyses Research Articles

Are children of Holocaust survivors less well-adapted? A meta-analytic investigation of secondary traumatization.

H. Keilson (1979) coined the term "sequential traumatization" for the accumulation of traumatic stresses confronting the Holocaust survivors before, during, and after the war. A central question is whether survivors were able to raise their children without transmitting the traumas of their past. Through a series of meta-analyses on 32 samples involving 4,418 participants, we tested the hypothesis of secondary traumatization in Holocaust survivor families. In the set of adequately designed nonclinical studies, no evidence for the influence of the parents' traumatic Holocaust experiences on their children was found. Secondary traumatization emerged only in studies on clinical participants, who were stressed for other reasons. A stress-diathesis model is used to interpret the absence of secondary traumatization in nonclinical offspring of Holocaust survivors.

INTERNATIONAL VALIDITY GENERALIZATION OF GMA AND COGNITIVE ABILITIES: A EUROPEAN COMMUNITY META‐ANALYSIS

This article reports on a series of meta‐analyses into the criterion validity of general menatl ability (GMA) and specific cognitive ability tests for predicting job performance ratings and training success in the European Community (EC). Meta‐analyses were computed on a large EC database examining the operational validity of GMA and other specific cognitive abilities, including verbal, numerical, spatial‐mechanical, perceptual and memory (N ranged from 946 to 16,065) across 10 EC member countries. The results showed that tests of GMA and specific cognitive ability are very good predictors of job performance and training success across the EC. Evidence for the international validity generalization of GMA and specific cognitive abilities was presented. The results for the EC meta‐analyses showed a larger operational validity than previous meta‐analyses in the U.S. for predicting job performance. For training success, the European and American results are very similar. Implications for the international generalizability of GMA test validities, practical use of cognitive ability tests for personnel selection, and directions for future research are discussed.

Single pill could reduce risk of cardiovascular disease by over 80%

A combination pill containing six different drugs could reduce mortality from strokes and myocardial infarctions by 88%, according to a recent study in the BMJ (2003;326:1419-22). Dubbed the “polypill,” it would be intended as a preventive measure and be taken once daily by everyone over 55 years of age and younger people with a clinical history of cardiovascular disease. The researchers, Nicholas Wald and Malcolm Law, from Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, performed a series of meta-analyses of existing data on the …

Newer endoscopic therapies decrease both re-bleeding and mortality in high-risk patients with acute peptic ulcer bleeding: A series of meta-analyses

Newer endoscopic therapies decrease both re-bleeding and mortality in high-risk patients with acute peptic ulcer bleeding: A series of meta-analyses

High dose intravenous proton pump inhibition decrease both re-bleeding and mortality in high-risk patients with acute peptic ulcer bleeding: A series of meta-analyses

High dose intravenous proton pump inhibition decrease both re-bleeding and mortality in high-risk patients with acute peptic ulcer bleeding: A series of meta-analyses

Gender Differences in Delay of Gratification: A Meta-Analysis

A series of meta-analyses were conducted to test Bjorklund and Kipp's hypothesis that due to selection pressures operating during evolution, women and girls are better able than men and boys to delay gratification (Bjorklund & Kipp, 1996). A total of 38 effect sizes were derived from 33 studies in which participants made one or more choices between a small (or less preferred) immediate reward and a large (or more preferred) delayed reward. Overall, there was a small female advantage (r = .058). Further analyses revealed that the female advantage was larger when continuous measures (r = .096) rather than dichotomous measures were used (r = .021). No evidence was found for the gender gap changing systematically with age. Discussion focuses primarily on alternative explanations for the gender difference found here. Consideration is also given to how the female advantage in delay of gratification might be reflected in real-life situations.

エビデンスからみた転倒予防プログラムの効果―２．転倒にまつわる諸問題と転倒研究における今後の課題―

The second part of the review discusses some important issues associated with fall prevention and future perspectives on fall related research. Currently, many kinds of interventions are available for the treatment of patients suffering from osteoporosis, i. e. nutritional supports, medications acting on bone metabolism and exercise. However, a series of meta-analyses showed that only alendronate and risedronate have been proven to prevent non-vertebral fractures in persons with osteoporosis. Anaerobic and weight bearing exercises are known to have a positive effect on the bone mineral density of the spine. There is, however, no reliable data for fracture prevention with exercise alone. Also, the synergistic effect of a combination of these interventions has not been clearly proven. Although there is evidence that the use of hip protectors in institutional settings reduces the rate of hip fractures, this approach faces the problem of patient acceptance and compliance. Psychosocial problems related to falls such as fear of falling, post-fall syndrome and cost-effectiveness of the prevention programs are becoming increasingly important in elderly health care, but little evidence of such has been reported in the literature. In future perspectives on fall relared research, a theory-based approach for fall prevention needs to be included to explore more effective interventions. We must also consider the double-edged effects of interventions that may increase certain fall risk factors while reducing another. Especially, the relation between activities and incidence of falls is important to consider, because increased activity itself may increase the chance of falls. When applying exercise or rehabilitative approaches, the interaction between falls, activity levels, frailty, and injury must be studied much more carefully. In addition, one has to always think about what is the true aim of a program, because the aim of fall prevention goes beyond preventing falls. Although some research has so far been conducted in Europe and the U. S. A. by researchers and practitioners in various fields, the quantity and quality of fall prevention research are still lacking and the available data is therefore insufficient to suggest appropriate decision-making in clinical practice. Especially in Japan, there have been only a few RCTs to determine the effectiveness of fall prevention programs. Because there are many differences in the characteristics of our native population and health care systems vs those of Europe and the U. S. A., it is a critical issue for us to establish fall prevention programs suited to Japanese population and health care system.

Improving preventive care by prompting physicians.

To assess the impact of prompting physicians on health maintenance, answer questions regarding the mode of delivery, and identify opportunities and limitations of this information intervention. Systematic electronic and manual searches (January 1, 1966, to December 31, 1996) were conducted to identify clinical trial reports on prompting clinicians. Three eligibility criteria were applied: (1) randomized controlled clinical trial, (2) clinician prompt, alert, or reminder in the study group and no similar intervention in the control group, and (3) measurement of the intervention effect on the frequency of preventive care procedures. Data were abstracted by independent reviewers using a standardized abstraction form, and quality of methodology was scored. A series of meta-analyses on triggering clinical actions was performed using the random-effects method. The statistical analyses included 33 eligible studies, which involved 1547 clinicians and 54 693 patients. Overall, prompting can significantly increase preventive care performance by 13.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 10.5%-15.6%). However, the effect ranges from 5.8% (95% CI, 1.5%-10.1%) for Papanicolaou smear to 18.3% (95% CI, 11.6%-25.1%) for influenza vaccination. The effect is not cumulative, and the length of intervention period did not show correlation with effect size (R = -0.015, P = .47). Academic affiliation, ratio of residents, and technique of delivery did not have a significant impact on the clinical effect of prompting. Dependable performance improvement in preventive care can be accomplished through prompting physicians. Vigorous application of this simple and effective information intervention could save thousands of lives annually. Health care organizations could effectively use prompts, alerts, or reminders to provide information to clinicians when patient care decisions are made.

Maternal versus nonmaternal care and seven domains of children's development.

A series of meta-analyses was conducted on findings from 59 studies to examine the linkage between maternal versus nonmaternal care, 7 indices of child behavior, and 10 potential moderators. Results indicate that children receiving nonmaternal care do not differ from children receiving maternal care on any of the 7 indices. Year of publication and psychometrics of outcome index were found to moderate the linkage between maternal versus nonmaternal care and attachment classification and between maternal versus nonmaternal care and child adjustment, respectively. Examination of the simultaneous impact of extent of care and age of entry on attachment behaviors revealed the moderating impact of the latter. Although it cannot be concluded that nonmaternal care has no impact on children, most of the analyses suggest that in and of itself, or in interaction with one factor at a time, nonmaternal care does not affect child development.

Physical activity and cancer: how may protection be maximized?

A series of meta-analyses have examined relationships between regular physical activity and susceptibility to various forms of cancer. Regular physical activity protects animals against cancer from a variety of sources: subcutaneous, intraperitoneal or intragastric carcinogens, intravenous infusion of tumor cells, or tumor implantation. In humans, regular exercise reduces susceptibility to all-cause cancer, colonic adenomas, colon but not rectal cancers, breast cancers, uterine tumors, prostate and testicular tumors, and possibly lung cancers. At most tumor sites, the average response of women is similar to that of men, but because of a limited number of studies, the effect in women is commonly nonsignificant. The relative effects of occupational and leisure activity are generally similar, an observation that suggests that the optimum response of cancer defense mechanisms is obtained from moderate levels of energy expenditure. In general, the data show a dose-response relationship, the risk of a sedentary lifestyle approximately doubling on passing from a moderate to a low level of habitual physical activity. To date, the findings have not demonstrated the postulated j-shaped relationship, but the cross-sectional comparison of low vs. high levels of leisure activity suggests that the adoption of an active lifestyle could reduce all-cause cancer rates by as much as 46%.

A meta-analytic investigation of cognitive ability in employment interview evaluations: Moderating characteristics and implications for incremental validity.

The purpose of this investigation was to explore the extent to which employment interview evaluations reflect cognitive ability. A meta-analysis of 49 studies found a corrected mean correlation of .40 between interview ratings and ability test scores, suggesting that on average about 16% of the variance in interview constructs represents cognitive ability. Analysis of several design characteristics that could moderate the relationship between interview scores and ability suggested that (a) the correlation with ability tends to decrease as the level of structure increases; (b) the type of questions asked can have considerable influence on the magnitude of the correlation with ability; (c) the reflection of ability in the ratings tends to increase when ability test scores are made available to interviewers; and (d) the correlation with ability generally is higher for low-complexity jobs. Moreover, results suggest that interview ratings that correlate higher with cognitive ability tend to be better predictors of job performance. Implications for incremental validity are discussed, and recommendations for selection strategies are outlined. Understanding of the validity of the employment interview has increased considerably in recent years. In particular, a series of meta-analyses has affirmed that the interview is generally a much better predictor of performance than previously thought and is comparable with many other selection techniques (Huffcutt & Arthur, 1994; Marchese & Muchinsky, 1993; McDaniel, Whetzel, Schmidt, & Maurer, 1994; Wiesner & Cronshaw, 1988; Wright, Lichtenfels, & Pursell, 1989). Moreover, these studies have identified several key design characteristics that can improve substantially the validity of the interview (e.g., structure).

Relationship of trait anger to resting blood pressure: a meta-analysis.

A series of meta-analyses were conducted to assess whether anger is related to essential hypertension. The present review also considered the relevance of the distinction between anger experience and anger expression, the effect of participant selection bias, and the white-coat hypertension effect for the anger-blood pressure (BP) association. Anger experience was correlated with elevated BP, but the relationship was small and highly variable. When positive effects emerged, both participant selection and the reliability of BP measurement posed interpretational problems. Persons high in anger are not merely exhibiting elevated BP in response to testing, so a white-coat effect is not evident. Being labeled as hypertensive may contribute to higher anger scores, however. The review suggests lines of future research concerning associations between trait anger and blood pressure.

Relationship of trait anger to resting blood pressure: A meta-analysis.

A series of meta-analyses were conducted to assess whether anger is related to essential hypertension. The present review also considered the relevance of the distinction between anger experience and anger expression, the effect of participant selection bias, and the white-coat hypertension effect for the anger-blood pressure (BP) association. Anger experience was correlated with elevated BP, but the relationship was small and highly variable. When positive effects emerged, both participant selection and the reliability of BP measurement posed interpretational problems. Persons high in anger are not merely exhibiting elevated BP in response to testing, so a white-coat effect is not evident. Being labeled as hypertensive may contribute to higher anger scores, however. The review suggests lines of future research concerning associations between trait anger and blood pressure.

Relationships Among Attitudes, Behavioral Intentions, and Behavior

In a recent meta-analysis of attitude-behavior research, the authors of this article found a strong overall attitude-behavior relationship (r = .79) when methodological artifacts are eliminated. The trend in A-B research, however, is to conceive of behavioral intentions (BI) as a mediator between attitudes (A) and behaviors (B). In this study, it is hypothesized that (a) A-BI correlation would be higher than A-B correlation, (b) BI-B correlation would be higher than A-B correlation, (c) A-BI correlation would be higher than BI-B correlation, (d) the variation in BI-B correlations would be greater than that of A-BI, and (e) attitudinal relevance would affect the magnitude of the A-BI correlation. A series of meta-analyses, integrating the findings of 92 A-BI correlations (N = 16,785) and 47 B-BI correlations (N = 10,203) that deal with 19 specified categories and a variety of miscellaneous topics was performed. The results were consistent with all five hypotheses. The theoretical and methodological implications are discussed.

Anxiety and academic performance: A meta-analysis of findings

Abstract The strength of the relationship between anxiety and performance varies from study to study with correlations from extreme negative to positive values. In order to reveal the sources of this inconsistency, a series of meta-analyses was conducted using the Schmidt-Hunter algorithm for effect sizes r. One hundred and twenty-six studies published from 1975 to 1988, based on a total sample of 36,626 subjects, were located after a comprehensive literature search. They include 156 independent samples. An overall analysis with the 156 effect sizes yielded a population effect size of r = −.21. Further analyses aimed at exploring moderator variables that would account for the residual variance, but tests of gender, culture (USA, West Germany and others), and anxiety stability (state/trait) failed to unveil the expected moderator impact. However, analyses with the anxiety components worry and emotionality, kinds of anxiety such as general and test anxiety, and the anxiety measurement point in time yielded ...

The relative efficacy of avoidant and nonavoidant coping strategies: a meta-analysis.

A casual review of the research literature on coping strategies suggests that strategies involving avoidant tactics are effective in reducing pain, stress, and anxiety in some cases, whereas nonavoidant strategies (called here attention), appear to be more effective in others. This article reports the results of a series of meta-analyses to ascertain whether there are systematic patterns in the empirical literature that describe when attention strategies are more or less effective than avoidant strategies. In particular, we consider the role of different kinds of attentional sets and also the role of time--whether some kinds of strategies work best in the early phases of the stress experience, and others are more efficacious in later phases of the stress experience. Results of an overall analysis of studies providing tests of attention versus avoidance indicated little evidence for one strategy's superiority. However, supplementary analyses, motivated by theoretical reasons, suggest there are boundary conditions that define the relative efficacy of a specific strategy. Overall, avoidance was associated with more positive adaptation in the short-run. However, attention was superior to avoidance if the former involved a focus on sensory schemata rather than emotional processing. If attention involved an emotional interpretational set or no explicit set, then it was associated with more negative outcomes than avoidance. In terms of long-term outcomes, avoidance indicates better outcomes initially, but with time, attention was associated with more positive outcomes. A final set of analyses found that both attention and avoidance facilitate adaptation as compared with no instruction controls. The meta-analyses suggest the important role of interpretational set and whether one looks at the immediate or at the long-term effects of coping. Limitations of the analyses and directions for future research are discussed.