Ottenbacher K J, Petersen P
Clin Pediatr (Phila). 1984 Aug;23(8):428-33. doi: 10.1177/000992288402300802.
The application of recently developed, quantitative literature reviewing methods (meta-analysis), detailed in the companion article in this issue, is illustrated by examining the results of studies that explored the effectiveness of vestibular stimulation as a form of sensory stimulation. Sixty-seven studies were located that employed some form of vestibular stimulation as the independent variable. Fourteen of these studies met criteria consistent with traditionally accepted standards of empirical inquiry in the behavioral and biomedical sciences and were included in the review. The 14 studies contained 31 hypothesis tests that evaluated the efficacy of vestibular stimulation as a form of sensory enrichment designed to facilitate various developmental parameters. An analysis of the results of these tests, using quantitative reviewing methods, revealed that subjects receiving vestibular stimulation performed significantly better than members of control or comparison groups who did not receive such stimulation. We can begin to answer questions of efficacy using research reports which currently exist when that research is properly synthesized by the quantitative review method. The use of quantitative reviewing procedures is recommended to help establish a consensus when synthesizing conflicting research literature in the behavioral and biomedical sciences.
本期相关文章中详细介绍的最近开发的定量文献综述方法（荟萃分析）的应用，通过考察探索前庭刺激作为一种感觉刺激形式的有效性的研究结果得以说明。共找到67项将某种形式的前庭刺激作为自变量的研究。其中14项研究符合行为和生物医学科学中传统上公认的实证研究标准，并被纳入综述。这14项研究包含31项假设检验，评估了前庭刺激作为一种旨在促进各种发育参数的感觉强化形式的功效。使用定量综述方法对这些检验结果进行分析后发现，接受前庭刺激的受试者的表现明显优于未接受此类刺激的对照组或比较组的成员。当通过定量综述方法对现有研究进行恰当综合时，我们可以利用这些研究报告开始回答有关功效的问题。建议使用定量综述程序，以在综合行为和生物医学科学中相互冲突的研究文献时帮助达成共识。
