The emerging disenchantment with retrospective meta-analysis

James E. Kennedy; Richard Wiseman; Caroline Watt

doi:10.1038/s41562-026-02463-y

The emerging disenchantment with retrospective meta-analysis

James E. Kennedy
, Richard Wiseman
, Caroline Watt

Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate › peer-review

Abstract

A retrospective meta-analysis is a post hoc methodology with substantial probability of bias and is appropriately viewed as exploratory. Well-powered confirmatory studies, prospective meta-analysis and best-evidence synthesis are alternative approaches that emphasize confirmatory research and can provide more reliable evidence.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1019-1021
Number of pages	3
Journal	Nature Human Behaviour
Volume	10
Issue number	6
Early online date	1 May 2026
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-026-02463-y
Publication status	Published - 30 Jun 2026

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The emerging disenchantment with retrospective meta-analysis

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