Weighted Mean Effect Size Research Articles

Efficacy of systemic therapy on adults with depressive disorders: A meta-analysis

Objective This meta-analysis evaluates the efficacy of systemic therapy approaches on adult clients with depressive disorders. Methods The illness-specific systematic review updates a previous meta-analysis on the efficacy of systemic therapy on psychiatric disorders in adulthood. It integrates the results of 30 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing systemic psychotherapy for depression with an untreated control group or alternative treatments. Studies were identified through systematic searches in relevant electronic databases and cross-referencing. A random-effects model calculated weighted mean effect sizes for each type of comparison (alternative treatments, control group with no alternative treatment/waiting list) on two outcomes (depressive symptoms change, drop-out rates). Results On average, systemic interventions show larger improvements in depressive symptoms compared to no-treatment controls at post-test (g = 1.09) and follow-up (g = 1.23). Changes do not significantly differ when comparing systemic interventions with alternative treatments (post-test g = 0.25; follow-up g = 0.09). Results also vary, in part, by participant age, publication year, and active control condition. Conclusion This meta-analysis indicates the potential benefits of systemic interventions for adult patients with depression. Future randomized clinical trials in this area should enhance study quality and include relational and other relevant outcome measures.

Assessing the Effectiveness of Project-Based Learning: A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis of Student Achievement between 2010 and 2023

Project-Based Learning (PBL) has been lauded as a robust alternative to traditional, didactic instructional methods. Despite its growing adoption, comprehensive syntheses of its effect on student learning remain scarce. This study aims to fill this gap by systematically reviewing and meta-analyzing the impact of PBL on students’ academic performance across various disciplines. Employing the PRISMA guidelines, we evaluated 70 research articles published between 2010 and 2023 that quantitatively measured PBL educational outcomes. Our analysis, facilitated by advanced meta-analysis software, revealed a consistent, moderate to substantial enhancement in student performance under PBL compared to conventional teaching. The aggregate mean weighted effect size (d+) was 0.652, indicating a significant and positive influence of PBL on academic achievement. This effect persisted across different sample sizes and time frames within the study period. The findings underscore PBL’s superiority in fostering academic success, particularly in science subjects. Consequently, this article contributes to the scholarly discourse by delineating the specific conditions and magnitudes of PBL’s effectiveness and recommends its broader implementation in educational strategies. Based on the robust findings of this meta-analysis, the study strongly suggests education institutions integrate PBL, particularly in science education. Additionally, the study advocates for continuous, empirical research to refine and optimize PBL methodologies, ensuring their evolving effectiveness and adaptability in the dynamic landscape of educational pedagogies.

Adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms and parental cognitions: a meta-analysis.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in adults interfere with parental functioning. Dysfunctional parental cognitions may play a role in this impairment. Despite the importance of parental cognitions on parents and children's outcomes, up to now, no systematic review or meta-analysis of these findings is available. To fill this gap, this meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the relationship between adult ADHD symptoms and parental cognitions. We conducted searches in Web of Science, PubMed, and ProQuest from January 2000 to June 2023. Studies were included if they provided data on the relationship between parental ADHD symptoms and parental cognitions by means of a row correlational coefficient, or means and standard deviation were reported for each study group. A random-effects model was used. Publication bias was assessed by funnel plot and Rosenthal's fail-safe N. Moderator analyses were conducted by means of subgroup analysis and meta-regression analyses. Fifteen published papers were included (N = 2851), and 51 effect sizes were analysed. The weighted mean effect size was small but significant (Fisher's Z = 0.186, k = 15, 95% CI [0.120 - 0.252], z = 5.539, p < 0.001), indicating that ADHD symptoms in adults are associated with more negative and less positive parental cognitions. The Fail-Safe N analysis suggested a robust effect. Tweedie's trim and fill results suggested that five studies were missing; after five missing studies had been imputed, the mean overall effect size dropped to 0.116 (0.080 - 0.152). There was significant heterogeneity among effect sizes. The methodology of the study was found to be a significant moderator. Meta-regression analyses revealed that the lower age of the parent and the child were related to more negative parental cognitions. Though the analysis might be inflated by publication bias, our results suggest a significant association between ADHD symptom level and dysfunctional parental cognitions. Biased negative perceptions of the parental role, the child and co-parenting may play a central mediator role between parental ADHD and parent and child outcomes. Given the familiar nature of ADHD, targeting dysfunctional parental cognitions in parent training programs is warranted. osf.io/pnur7.

Changes in fatigue among cancer patients before, during, and after radiation therapy: A meta-analysis.

Fatigue is a common symptom in cancer patients receiving radiotherapy. However, previous studies report inconsistent patterns of fatigue change. The aim of this study was to estimate changes in fatigue among patients with cancer before, during, and after radiotherapy. Five databases (PubMed, SDOL, CINAHL Plus with Full Text, Medline [ProQuest], and ProQuest Dissertations) were searched for studies published from January 2006 to May 2021. Three effect sizes of fatigue change (immediate, short-term, and long-term) were calculated for each primary study using standardized mean difference. A random-effect model was used to combine effect sizes across studies. Subgroup analyses and meta-regression were performed to identify potential categorical and continuous moderators, respectively. Sixty-five studies were included in this meta-analysis. The weighted mean effect size for immediate, short-term, and long-term effects was 0.409 (p < .001; 95% CI [0.280, 0.537]), 0.303 (p < .001; 95% CI [0.189, 0.417]), and 0.201 (p = .05; 95% CI [-0.001, 0.404]), respectively. Studies with prostate cancer patients had a significantly higher short-term (0.588) and long-term weight mean effect size (0.531) than studies with breast (0.128, -0.072) or other cancers (0.287, 0.215). Higher radiotherapy dosage was significantly associated with a higher effect size for both immediate (β = .0002, p < .05) and short-term (β = .0002, p < .05) effect. Findings from this meta-analysis indicated that radiotherapy-induced fatigue (RIF) exist for more than 3 months after the completion of treatment. Assessment of radiation-induced fatigue in cancer patients should extend long after treatment completion, especially for patients with prostate cancer and patients receiving a higher radiation dose. Interventions to reduce fatigue tailored for different treatment phases may be developed.

The relationship between purpose in life and depression and anxiety: A meta-analysis.

Purpose in life consists of having a sense of meaning and purpose regarding one's activities as well as an overall sense that life is meaningful. This study reports a comprehensive assessment of the relationship of purpose in life with depression and anxiety. A meta-analysis (total n = 66,468, total k = 99) investigated the association of purpose in life with depression and anxiety. Across samples, greater purpose in life was significantly associated with lower levels of depression and anxiety. The mean weighted effect size between purpose in life and depression was r = -0.49, [95% confidence intervals, CIs: -0.52, -0.45], p < 0.001. For the purpose in life and anxiety the mean weighted effect size was r = -0.36, [95% CIs: -0.40, -0.32], p < 0.001. The association of purpose in life with mental health was stronger for clinical populations, especially with regard to the relationship with anxiety. Both approach deficits and avoidance motivation are argued to play a role in the relationship between purpose and psychopathology, with greater purpose potentially limiting avoidance tendencies and reducing the effects of depression and anxiety. Understanding the role that purpose in life may play in depression and anxiety could help to inform current conceptualizations of these disorders and improve treatment outcomes.

The Effectiveness of Anxiety Interventions for Young Children: A Meta-Analytic Review.

Anxiety symptoms and disorders are prevalent and impairing in young children and these symptoms often persist and worsen over time, indicating the need for efficacious interventions for this age group. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions targeting anxiety in younger children and to assess the potential moderators of outcome. The effect sizes from 24 trials were assessed based on a random effect model. The mean weighted effect size was found to be significant and moderate in magnitude. Moderators, including level of intervention, intervention approach, rater, and level of training of the provider/program facilitator, are assessed and discussed. Overall, the findings indicate that anxiety interventions are effective in reducing anxiety in young children, and targeted trials show particularly strong promise.

Efficacy of school-based career guidance interventions: A review of recent research

This paper aims to examine the impacts of career guidance interventions on school students’ career-related skills, knowledge and beliefs by combining relevant empirical studies conducted in the last 10 years. A random-effects meta-analytic technique was employed for this purpose. After screening, electronic databases using pre-defined eligibility criteria, nine studies involving a total of 1,433 participants were included in the final meta-analysis. The analysis yielded a weighted mean effect size of 0.42 (95% confidence interval = 0.19, 0.65; z = 3.61, p &lt; 0.01) which may be construed as a moderate-to-high effect size with a significant difference between the treatment and control conditions at post-treatment. As a result, post-test career-related outcomes in students who received career guidance were significantly higher than in non-guidance groups. The results suggest that career interventions may provide some modest developmental progression in school-age children and adolescents particularly through improving learners’ career decidedness and attitudes such as future time perspective. These findings might have strategic implications for policy and practice. This paper extends past research on career guidance effectiveness by identifying the combined effect size of relevant career interventions.

Supportive Care Needs Survey: A reliability generalization meta-analysis.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the reliability generalization of 2 forms of the Supportive Care Needs Survey (SCNS), the questionnaires commonly used to assess the unmet needs of cancer patients. Reviewed articles were retrieved through databases including PubMed, Ovid, Embase, CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature), Web of Science, Scopus, and ProQuest. The inclusion criteria were quantitative studies that assessed the unmet needs of cancer patients using the SCNS and presented reliability coefficients with sample size. Two independent reviewers examined the studies according to inclusion criteria and quality. The final studies included in the meta-analysis were determined by consensus. A random effects model was adopted for the analysis. To estimate reliability coefficients, the alpha coefficients for each study were transformed into the Z statistic for normalization and back to alpha. The values were weighted by the inverse of the studies' variance. The Higgins I2 statistic was used to test for heterogeneity, and the Egger's test and funnel plot were performed to evaluate publication bias. Out of 12,522 studies, 26 studies were included in the meta-analysis. The overall mean weighted effect size of the SCNS long-form (LF) was 0.90 and the subdomains ranged from 0.90 to 0.97. The overall alpha for the SCNS short-form (SF) was 0.92, and the alphas for the subdomains were between 0.81 and 0.92. The estimated reliability coefficients in both LF and SF were highest in psychological and health information needs and lowest in sexuality. No publication bias was indicated in this study. In this study, the overall reliability of SCNS was presented and the factors affecting the reliability of SCNS were identified. The results of this study may help clinicians or researchers make decisions about selecting tools to measure unmet needs of cancer patients.

Executive functions in primary progressive aphasia: A meta-analysis.

Executive functions (EFs) refer to a set of cognitive processes, specifically shifting, inhibition, updating of working memory, and are involved in the cognitive control of behavior. Conflicting results have been reported regarding impairments of EFs in Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA). We performed a multi-level meta-analysis to confirm whether deficits of EFs exist in this population, focusing on a common EFs composite, and the components shifting, inhibition and updating separately. We included 141 studies that report on 294EFs tasks. The overall mean weighted effect size was large (d=-1,28), indicating poorer EFs in PPA as compared to age-matched cognitively healthy controls. Differences between effect sizes of the EFs components were not significant, indicating all components are affected similarly. Overall, moderator analysis revealed that PPA variant and disease duration were significant moderators of performance, while task modality and years of education were not. The non-fluent/agrammatic PPA and the logopenic PPA variants were similarly affected, but the semantic variant was affected to a lesser extent. We discuss implications for clinical and research settings, and future research.

Effects of Word Definitions on Meaning Recall: A Multisite Intervention in Language‐Diverse Second Language English Classrooms

AbstractVocabulary experts recommend first language (L1) translation equivalents for establishing form–meaning mappings for new second language (L2) words, especially for lower proficiency learners. Empirical evidence to date speaks in favor of L1 translation equivalents over L2 meaning definitions, but most studies have investigated bi‐ rather than multilingual learners. In our study, we investigated instructed English vocabulary learning through an intervention study in six language‐diverse secondary school English classrooms in Sweden (N = 74) involving three conditions for presentation of word meanings: (a) definitions in the L2 (English), (b) translation equivalents in the shared school and majority language (Swedish), and (c) translation equivalents in the shared school and majority language plus other prior languages among the learners (Swedish and other). Based on overall weighted mean effect sizes and mixed‐effects modeling, the results showed that conditions that involved L1 translation equivalents yielded higher scores than did target language definitions in immediate posttests with a small effect size but no differences in delayed posttests.

A Meta-Analysis of Factors Related to Job Satisfaction: Focused on Korean Nurses.

Nurses comprise the majority of the healthcare workforce, and their job satisfaction can have a substantial impact on patient health. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of studies that performed statistical analyses focused on the job satisfaction of nurses and relevant factors, as well as synthesizing existing data. Overall, 144 studies published between 1986 and 2018 were reviewed for qualitative synthesis. The most frequently measured variable was job stress, followed by burnout and turnover intention. Overall, 53 studies published between 1994 and 2018 were reviewed for quantitative synthesis. In the meta-analysis, the weighted mean effect size using a random-effects model was moderate for all variables: -0.539, -0.484, and -0.395 for burnout, turnover intention, and job stress, respectively. The results revealed a long history of variables related to job satisfaction among Korean nurses since data retrieval was not subject to any restrictions. These findings can be used as evidence for the formulation of policies to enhance the retention of nurses committed to their profession. Further, they can facilitate stable workforce management in healthcare.

Effects of prevention interventions on violence in the workplace: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Violence in the workplace represents a pressing social problem, drawing attention to the need for both public and private prevention interventions. Workplace violence and workplace violence prevention serve as a crucial topic globally, given the context of violence and victimization in the workplace across a range of industries, and in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. The objective of this article is to carry out a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of the full range of approaches to prevent workplace violence. Following PRISMA guidelines, this review uses rigorous criteria for the inclusion of studies, comprehensive search strategies to identify eligible studies, and a detailed protocol for coding study characteristics. Meta-analytic techniques are used to assess the impact of prevention interventions (at the employee- and organizational-levels) on workplace violence. Ten studies met the inclusion criteria. The weighted mean effect sizes for employee and organizational-level studies were positive and moderate, yet non-significant: d = 0.50 (95% CI = −0.04, 1.05) and d = 0.22 (95% CI = −0.62, 1.07), respectively. Variability of intervention modalities, the promising nature of some prevention interventions, and the need for consideration of a broader range of measures of workplace violence offer some directions for future research to help inform policy and practice.

Sleep Quality Among Burn Survivors and the Importance of Intervention: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Burn survivors undergo a plethora of physiologic disturbances that can greatly affect the quality of life (QOL) and healing processes. This review aimed to systematically examine sleep quality among individuals with burns and to explore the effectiveness of interventions using a meta-analytic approach. A systematic review of the literature was conducted by searching for articles using various databases. Titles and abstracts were screened and full texts of retained articles were assessed based on eligibility criteria. Methodological quality was ascertained in all articles using various scales. Overall, 5323 articles were screened according to titles and abstracts and 25 articles were retained following full-text screening. Of the 25 articles, 17 were assessed qualitatively, while 8 were included in the meta-analysis. Based on the qualitative analysis, sleep was found to be negatively affected in patients with burn injuries. The subsample of eight articles included in the meta-analysis showed an overall weighted mean effect size (Hedges's g) of 1.04 (SE = 0.4, 95% CI, z = 3.0; P &lt; 0.01), indicating a large, positive effect of the intervention on sleep quality for patients with burn injuries. This review was able to demonstrate the detrimental effects of burn injury on sleep quality. Several interventions have been examined throughout the literature and have shown to be beneficial for sleep quality. However, there is great heterogeneity between existing interventions. The results from this review suggest that further research is needed before recommendations can be made as to which intervention is most effective at improving sleep in patients suffering from burn injuries.

A Meta-Analysis of Mathematics Word-Problem Solving Interventions for Elementary Students Who Evidence Mathematics Difficulties

Since 1975, researchers have conducted interventions to improve the word-problem performance of elementary school students facing mathematics difficulties. The current study reports a meta-analysis of 52 studies that examined the effect of these interventions. We estimated multivariate, random-effects models (REM) with robust variance estimation (RVE) with and without outliers. Results showed a large, positive, and significant mean weighted effect size ( g = 1.01 for the model with outliers; g = 0.81 for the model without outliers). Findings of meta-regression analyses showed several moderators, such as sample composition, group size, intervention dosage, group assignment approach, interventionist, year of publication, and dependent measure type, significantly explained heterogeneity in effects across studies. A sensitivity analysis showed these results were generally robust to outliers. We offer possible explanations for the findings and discuss study limitations. Finally, we propose recommendations for future research and classroom practice.

Effects of Mass Media Framing of Protest Movements: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review of Mass Media Studies

This study aimed to estimate an overall mean effect size of mass media framing of protest movements to provide an up-to-date overview of protest framing researches through a systematic review. Several scholars who have been engaged in framing researches were less consistent and lacked repeated stimuli in their findings, which inspired this study. This study used a rigorous systematic review to analyze protest movements of framing researches that addressed the effects of media framing of protest movements. Data were identified from two major databases and indexing services that produced 29 relevant studies included for analysis. The data were extracted with a structured format prepared in Microsoft Excel and copied to OpenMeta[analyst] software for analysis. Then, the pooled estimation of the outcomes was performed by the DerSimonian-Laird random-effects model at 95% confidence interval and produced an overall random weighted mean effect size of Pearson’s product-moment correlation (r)=0.352.

Do Smarter People Have More Conservative Economic Attitudes? Assessing the Relationship Between Cognitive Ability and Economic Ideology.

Evidence on the association of cognitive ability with economic attitudes is mixed. We conducted a meta-analysis (k = 20, N = 46,426) to examine the relationship between objective measures of cognitive ability and economic ideology and analyzed survey data (N = 3,375) to test theoretical explanations for the association. The meta-analysis provided evidence for a small positive association with a weighted mean effect size of r = .07 (95% CI = [0.02, 0.12]), suggesting that higher cognitive ability is associated with conservative views on economic issues, but effect sizes were extremely heterogeneous. Tests using representative survey data provided support for both a positive association of cognitive ability with economic conservatism that is mediated through income as well as for a negative association that is mediated through a higher need for certainty. Hence, multiple causal mechanisms with countervailing effects might explain the low overall association of cognitive ability with economic political attitudes.

A Meta-analysis of Media Consumption and Rape Myth Acceptance

The prevalence of rape myths, or false beliefs about rape that blame victims of sexual violence and excuse perpetrators of sexual violence, has been documented throughout a wide range of media content. However, previous meta-analyses of media consumption and rape myth acceptance (RMA) have focused on pornography, and these studies are over ten years old. This research addresses this gap with a meta-analysis studying the relationship between the consumption of all types of media and RMA. Thirty-two studies (N = 12,016) met inclusion criteria. The overall weighted mean effect size was r = 0.09 (p < .001), indicating a small but statistically significant relationship, where media consumption is correlated with greater RMA. Sub-analyses indicated that a few media types, especially violent pornography and general pornography, drove this relationship. Results are discussed in terms of cultivation theory, social cognitive theory, and sexual scripting theory. The results highlight needs for: research exploring the relationship between diverse types of media consumption and RMA, pornography research distinguishing between violent and nonviolent pornographic content, and rape myth-focused media literacy interventions that target adolescents and young adults.

Exercise therapy for sarcopenia in rheumatoid arthritis: A meta-analysis and meta-regression of randomized controlled trials

Objective: Rheumatoid arthritis and age are associated with high sarcopenia risk. Exercise is an effective treatment for preventing muscle mass loss in older adult populations. It remains unclear whether exercise affects muscle mass in people with rheumatoid arthritis. Thus, this meta-analysis investigated the effect of exercise on muscle mass gain in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Data sources: PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), the China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database, and Google Scholar were systematically searched until June 2021. Methods: The present study was conducted according to the guidelines recommended by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that reported the effects of exercise on muscle mass for rheumatoid arthritis were identified. The included RCTs were subject to meta-analysis and risk of bias assessment. Subgroup and random-effects meta-regression analyses were performed to identify any heterogeneity (I2) of treatment effects across studies. Results: We included nine RCTs with a median PEDro score of 6/10 (range: 4/10–8/10). The weighted mean effect size for muscle mass was 0.77 (95% CI: 0.30–1.24; P = 0.001; I2 = 77%). Meta-regression analyses indicated that the disease duration significantly explained variance of treatment effects across studies (β = −0.006, R2 = 69.7%, P = 0.005). Conclusions: Exercise therapy effectively increased muscle mass in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Treatment effects may be attenuated in those who have had rheumatoid arthritis for a relatively long time.

Blocking the activin IIB receptor with bimagrumab (BYM338) increases walking performance: A meta-analysis.

Diseases and bed rest may result in decreased muscle size and function. While exercise is recommended as a countermeasure, there are times when diseases or injuries make it difficult for the patient to partake in an exercise intervention. Pharmaceutical interventions using a myostatin inhibitor, BYM338, have been investigated as a way to increase or maintain muscle function. Of interest in the present analysis was the 6-min walk test. The 6-min walk test was selected, as there is an association between walking ability and the ease of performing activities of daily living. Thus, our aim was to investigate the effects of BYM338 on walking performance relative to a placebo. A meta-analysis using a random effects model was conducted in April 2021. Four studies were included with a total sample size of 244 participants receiving BYM338 and 114 participants receiving a placebo. The average age of the participants included was 68 years. The main analysis produced a weighted mean effect size of 10 m (SE 5) (P= 0.05) for BYM338 over a placebo. Excluding the lowest dosage (1 mg/kg) provided similar results (12 m [SE 5], P= 0.033). Of note, the weighted mean effect with or without the lowest dosage is surrounded by a large degree of uncertainty. Our results suggest that BYM338 is a viable drug for improving 6-min walk test in populations associated with impaired function. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2021; 21: 939-943.

Hypnosis and the Alleviation of Clinical Pain: A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis

ABSTRACT This is the first comprehensive meta-analysis in approximately 20 years of all controlled studies of the use of hypnosis for relieving clinical pain. To be included, studies were required to utilize a between-subjects or mixed model design in which a hypnosis intervention was compared with a control condition in alleviating any form of clinical pain. Of 523 records screened, 42 studies incorporating 45 trials of hypnosis met the inclusion criteria. Our most conservative estimates of the impact of hypnosis on pain yielded mean weighted effect sizes of 0.60 (p ≤ .001) for 40 post trials and 0.61 (p ≤ .001) for 9 follow-up trials. These effect sizes fall in the medium range according to Cohen’s guideline and suggest the average participant receiving hypnosis reduced pain more than about 73% of control participants. Hypnosis was moderated by the overall methodological quality of trials—the mean weighted effect size of the 19 post trials without high risk ratings on any of the Cochrane Risk of Bias dimensions was 0.77 (p ≤ .001). Hypnosis was also moderated by hypnotic suggestibility, with 6 post trials producing a mean weighted effect size of r = 0.53 (p ≤ .001). Our findings strengthen the assertion that hypnosis is a very efficacious intervention for alleviating clinical pain.