[R-meta] How to deal with "dependent" Effect sizes?

[Viechtbauer Wolfgang (SP)]

For cluster-robust inference methods, there is the robust() function in metafor. James' clubSandwich package (https://cran.r-project.org/package=clubSandwich) also works nicely together with metafor. However, generally speaking, these methods work *asymptotically*. clubSandwich includes some small-sample corrections, but I doubt that James would advocate their use in such a small k setting. So I don't think cluster-robust inference methods are an appropriate way to handle the dependency here.

What kind of 'effect sizes' are we talking about here anyway?

Best,
Wolfgang

>-----Original Message-----
>From: R-sig-meta-analysis [mailto:r-sig-meta-analysis-bounces at r-
>project.org] On Behalf Of Angeline Tsui
>Sent: Monday, 26 February, 2018 17:27
>To: Mark White
>Cc: r-sig-meta-analysis at r-project.org
>Subject: Re: [R-meta] How to deal with "dependent" Effect sizes?
>
>Hello Mark,
>
>Thanks for sharing your manuscript with me. I will take a look.
>
>But, if anyone knows how to deal with dependent ES using metafor, please
>let me know.
>
>Best,
>Angeline
>
>On Mon, Feb 26, 2018 at 10:26 AM, Mark White <markhwhiteii at gmail.com>
>wrote:
>
>> I did a meta-analysis that dealt with a lot of studies with dependent
>> variables at the participant level. I got a great deal of help from
>this
>> group (and others), and I settled eventually on robust variance
>estimation.
>> See pages 21 to 23 here (https://github.com/markhwhiteii/prej-beh-meta/
>> blob/master/docs/manuscript.pdf) on how I came to that decision and
>some
>> great references for using their robumeta package. I'm sure there is a
>way
>> to do this in metafor, as well.
>>
>> On Mon, Feb 26, 2018 at 10:08 AM, Angeline Tsui
><angelinetsui at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Hello all,
>>>
>>> I am working on a meta-analysis that may contain dependent effect
>sizes.
>>> For example, there are five studies in a paper. However, study 1, 2
>and 3
>>> tested the same group of participants whereas study 4 and 5 tested
>>> different groups of participants. This means that the effect sizes in
>>> study
>>> 1, 2 and 3 are dependent of each other, whereas study 4 and 5 are
>>> independent of each other. In this case, how should I incorporate
>these
>>> studies in a meta-analysis? Specifically, my concern is that if I put
>all
>>> five studies in a meta-regression, then I am not ensuring that each
>effect
>>> size is independent of each other.
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>> Angeline
>>>
>>> --
>>> Best Regards,
>>> Angeline