Morgan systematically searched published material about the impact of support groups on adolescents with Autism. This study is an example of which research design?

• A. Meta-analysis
• B. Systematic literature review
• C. Case control study
• D. Cohort study

Answer: (B)

The main idea being tested is how researchers synthesize existing evidence about a topic. When someone searches published material in a structured, predefined way to identify, evaluate, and summarize all relevant studies on a question, that approach is a systematic literature review. In this scenario, Morgan conducted a careful, methodical search of what has already been published about the impact of support groups on adolescents with Autism, which fits that description.

This is not a meta-analysis, because there’s no mention of pooling data or calculating a combined effect size from multiple studies. A meta-analysis involves quantitative synthesis across studies, whereas a systematic literature review may or may not include such pooling.

It also isn’t a case-control or a cohort study, which are primary research designs involving new data collection from people to examine associations over time or across exposures. Here, the focus is on reviewing existing published studies rather than following participants or collecting new data.