Research synthesis in behavior analysis I: An introductory guide to conducting systematic reviews
Follow the 10-step PRISMA checklist to turn your next clinical question into a publishable systematic review.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Weinsztok et al. (2025) wrote a how-to guide.
It shows behavior analysts the 10 steps of a PRISMA systematic review.
No new data were collected; the paper is a roadmap.
What they found
The authors found that behavior analysis rarely uses full systematic-review methods.
They give a checklist to fix that gap.
How this fits with other research
Simonian et al. (2020) already followed the method the tutorial preaches.
Their review of 13 workplace preference studies is a live example of the PRISMA steps.
Kocher et al. (2015) asked practitioners to publish more, but gave loose narrative advice.
The new tutorial supersedes that guidance by handing readers an exact recipe instead of general tips.
Mead Jasperse et al. (2025) show many researchers skip details when they report consent.
The tutorial’s transparent PRISMA flowchart would catch and fix that omission.
Why it matters
You can lift the 10-step checklist today.
Pick a clinical question, run the search, fill the PRISMA diagram, and write the review.
Your report will meet journal standards and give the field a trustworthy evidence base.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
As a data-driven science, the field of behavior analysis necessitates accumulating evidence for research and theory development and clinical intervention. The most comprehensive evidence will come from systematic review and meta-analysis of a given topic. Systematic reviews are comprised of an established set of methods of collecting and synthesizing a body of research to identify trends, examining the strength of evidence and potential sources of bias, and identifying areas in need of further investigation. Despite their utility and widespread use in other disciplines, systematic reviews are under-utilized in many behavior analysis domains. This technical report is part of a series on research synthesis methods in behavior analysis, with Part 1 focusing on systematic reviews and Part 2 focusing on meta-analysis. In Part 1, we provide a step-by-step guide to conducting systematic reviews using current best practices and adhering to international guidelines. Examples of tables and figures commonly included in these types of reviews are also provided. We conclude by emphasizing the importance of these reviews for behavior analysis research, practice, and theory and calling for increased numbers of published systematic reviews in behavior analysis. Finally, we provide annotated references to additional in-depth methodology resources for the interested behavior analyst.
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 2025 · doi:10.1002/jeab.70040