Gesamteffektstärke

Gesamteffektstärke, often translated as "overall effect size" or "total effect size," is a statistical concept used in meta-analysis and other forms of research synthesis. It represents the combined magnitude of an effect across multiple studies that have investigated a particular phenomenon. Instead of focusing on the effect within a single study, Gesamteffektstärke aims to provide a more generalizable estimate of the treatment or intervention's impact.

The calculation of Gesamteffektstärke typically involves pooling the individual effect sizes from various studies. Different methods can be used for this pooling, such as fixed-effect models or random-effects models, depending on the assumptions about the variability of effects across studies. Fixed-effect models assume that all studies are estimating the same underlying true effect, while random-effects models allow for the true effect to vary across studies.

Reporting a Gesamteffektstärke allows researchers to draw broader conclusions about the effectiveness of an intervention or the strength of a relationship. It is often accompanied by a confidence interval, which indicates the range within which the true overall effect size is likely to lie. A larger Gesamteffektstärke generally suggests a more substantial impact, while a smaller one indicates a weaker effect. Interpretation also considers the context of the research area and the practical significance of the observed effect.