Meta-analysis in sport and exercise research: Review, recent developments, and recommendations

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to provide a general overview of the principles and practice of conducting quantitative psychometric meta-analytic reviews in the sport and exercise sciences and highlight some of the recent developments and recommendations from researchers regarding the conduct and validity of meta-analytic methods. After outlining the historical context, the general principles involved in a quantitative cumulation of research findings across empirical studies is reviewed. Subsequently, recent controversies and issues surrounding the use of meta-analysis are reviewed with examples provided from the sport and exercise psychology literature. Specifically, the basis for and selection of meta-analytic models (use of fixed vs. random effects models), the treatment of data from theories that explicitly demand testing the effects of multiple independent variables on a dependent variable (use of multiple regression), and how to treat studies that contain multiple tests of a given effect (use of averaging and structural equation modeling methods) are covered. Recommendations are provided for researchers conducting meta-analytic studies based on these issues.