Critical appraisal tools for assessing the methodological quality of qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods studies included in systematic mixed studies reviews

摘要

The development of critical appraisal tools for assessing the methodological quality of qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods studies included in systematic mixed studies reviews testifies the vitality of the field. In a recent issue of the Journal of Evaluation and Clinical Practice, Sirriyeh and colleagues [1] describe the development and preliminary evaluation of a tool for appraising the methodological quality of studies with diverse designs. Of the 16 items, 14 assess all types of study designs, two are specific for qualitative designs and two for quantitative designs. There are no specific criteria for mixed methods designs. The authors state that they found only one equivalent tool, and I would like to mention that I developed a third equivalent tool, the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) [2].