Iowa Center for School Mental Health Institute: Making Sense of Evidence Synthesis

An Iowa Center for School Mental Health-sponsored workshop designed for research stakeholders, including, affiliated faculty, education professionals, AEA employees, DEO employees, as well as school mental health student and faculty researchers across the state of Iowa

Reading every single source of scientific evidence (e.g., journal articles) about a specific research topic is a challenging task given the vast amount of potential evidence available. Moreover, in many fields, it has become customary to rely on research synthesis and/or meta-analysis when making decisions for policy and/or practice. Thus, researchers, stakeholders, and decision makers are often encouraged to rely on reviews or syntheses of the available evidence, and evidence synthesis methodology (e.g., systematic reviews, meta-analyses) have become more diverse and sophisticated.

As also true for the primary studies they summarize, not all evidence syntheses are created equal, and determining which syntheses are of high enough quality on which to base policy decisions requires an understanding of the methodology used for each. 

The focus of this workshop is on how to evaluate different forms of evidence synthesis. Specifically, we will discuss what components should be presented in different forms of evidence synthesis in order to ensure high-quality results. By the workshop end, participants will be able to identify key components, biases, and levels of confidence about results reported in: systematic reviews, meta-analysis, meta-regression, network meta-analysis, individual participant data meta-analysis, scoping review, and evidence gap maps.

The workshop will build on examples brought by the participants from their own research areas and may include research topics within medicine, epidemiology, public policy, education, criminology, sociology, psychology, nursing, and ecology.

This workshop is offered both in-person and online. All sessions will be recorded.

In-Person: 204 South Lindquist Center, 240 South Madison Street, Iowa City, IA 52242

Online: Zoom (link to be provided following registration)

REGISTRATION: If you are interested in attending this workshop and would like the Iowa Center for School Mental Health to sponsor your participation (an $800 value), email Dr. Gerta Bardhoshi (gerta-bardhoshi@uiowa.edu) and Dr. Jonathan Templin (jonathan-templin@uiowa.edu).