The effect of screening for publication bias on the outcomes of meta‐analyses

Haben Michael

Scandinavian Journal of Statistics, 2025, vol. 52, issue 1, 513-531

Abstract: Conducting a meta‐analysis on a body of studies subject to publication bias is a type of post‐selection inference that may invalidate findings. Therefore, analysts often run a hypothesis test to check for publication bias prior to conducting a meta‐analysis. However, conducting meta‐analyses conditional on the outcome of such preliminary tests is itself a form of post‐selection inference. We investigate the effect on the outcome of a meta‐analysis of a null finding at the preliminary stage. We find that in many situations there is no or little bias in the findings at the main stage.

Date: 2025
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https://doi.org/10.1111/sjos.12762

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:bla:scjsta:v:52:y:2025:i:1:p:513-531

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