The use and misuse of methods for publication bias assessment and adjustment in meta-analyses of psychotherapeutic interventions: \nA systematic survey of the literature
Year: 2021
Type: dissertation
Study design: Systematic Review
Abstract: Publication bias poses a threat to the validity of meta-analytic reviews, as it can lead \nto summary effect size estimates becoming inflated. Meta-analysts are advised to utilize \nmultiple methods for detecting and controlling for publication bias. Our study aims to \nexamine which and how many methods meta-analysts of psychotherapeutic interventions for \ndepression, anxiety and PTSD utilize to identify and correct for publication bias, and to \nwhich extent they detect it. Additionally, we aim to provide some indication of the degree to \nwhich publication bias has (or has not) influenced meta-analytic estimates in this field, by \nreanalyzing meta-analyses for which study level data are available. 86 meta-analyses were\nincluded in our sample, and 37 meta-analyses also met the eligibility criteria for reanalysis. \nFindings demonstrate that 66 of 86 (76,7%) included meta-analyses utilized at least 1\npublication bias method. 32 of 86 (37%) of the included meta-analyses utilized at least three \npublication bias methods. None of the included meta-analyses utilized a selection model \napproach. The funnel plot asymmetry tests varied from detecting publication bias on ~20% \n(Egger’s regression) to ~65% (trim-and-fill). The results from reanalyzes of study-level data \nindicates some inflation of effect size estimates, although the adjusted results generally do not\nconsiderably change the overall conclusions of these meta-analyses. Our overall findings \nindicate some degree of publication bias, that could go undetected because some meta-analysts do not sufficiently adhere to recommendations regarding publication bias methods.
Authors: Aas-Hansen, Espen, Røst, Susanne, Syla, Granit
Language: English
Subfield: Statistics, Probability and Uncertainty
Field: Decision Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7044212385