Synthesis method | Aim | Description |
---|---|---|
Critical interpretive synthesis [62] | To build a theory from the synthesis of a diverse body of evidence. | Adapted the strategies of meta-ethnography (reciprocal translational analysis, lines-of-argument synthesis, and refutational syntheses) for qualitative and quantitative evidence. |
Framework synthesis [63] | To produce a new framework based on a priori and new themes. | Consists of analyzing data using an a priori framework, creating new themes by performing thematic synthesis, and producing a new framework. |
Grouping and clustering [44] | To describe included studies. | Summarizes and organizes included studies into groups (categories). |
Meta-ethnography [64] | To build a theory from the synthesis of qualitative studies. | Uses three main strategies: translating the concepts from studies into one another (reciprocal translational analysis), exploring and explaining contradictions between studies (refutational synthesis), and linking constructs and building a picture of the whole from studies (lines-of-argument synthesis). |
Meta-narrative synthesis [65] | To make sense of complex and conflicting findings by unfolding the storyline of research traditions. | Maps research traditions and consider how they have been conceptualized, theorized, and empirically studied over time. |
Meta-synthesis [66] | To understand a phenomenon of interest across qualitative studies. | Uses hermeneutic (portraying individual constructions) and dialectic (comparing and contrasting the constructions) approaches. |
Narrative synthesis [44] | To summarize and explain the findings of included studies. | Adopts a textual approach to the process of synthesis and follows four elements: develop a theory of how the intervention works, why, and for whom; develop a preliminary synthesis; explore relationships within and between studies; and assess the robustness of the synthesis. |
Qualitative content analysis [29] | To understand a phenomenon of interest by focusing on the manifest (patent) content or contextual meaning of text. | Uses an analytical coding process to organize content of textual data into fewer content categories. |
To unpack how interventions work in particular contexts through theoretical explanation (middle-range theory). | Uses theory-driven context-mechanism-outcome configurations, demi-regularities, and abduction (hunches). | |
Textual description [44] | To describe included studies. | Provides a descriptive paragraph of each study. |
Textual narrative synthesis [69] | To describe included studies. | Arranges studies into homogeneous groups and compares similarities and differences across studies. |
Thematic synthesis [70] | To identify and develop themes across included studies. | Uses line-by-line coding, develops descriptive themes, and generates analytical themes. This might lead to propose a conceptual framework. |