Exercises
It can be instructive to compare the results of a ‘box-score’ review, based on the proportion of
studies with significant findings, with those of a meta-analysis with effect sizes. It is usually not
possible to find an example of each type of review that uses the same set of studies. However, Finney
et al. (1996) conducted a box-score review of inpatient/residential versus outpatient treatment for
alcohol use disorders. Finney and Moos (1996) then secured unpublished data needed to conduct
a meta-analysis of findings from the same studies. Read each review and see if you get a different
sense of magnitude or strength of the inpatient/residential versus outpatient treatment effect and
of how enduring it is. How do you view the relative strengths and weaknesses of the two reviews?