Only one cluster per condition is an invalid design for a cluster randomized trial and should be re-labeled a quasi-experimental study. Response to: “Effect of behavioral activation on time and frequency domain heart rate variability in older adults with subthreshold depression: a cluster randomized controlled trial in Thailand”
Abstract Ayudhaya et al. examined the effect of Behavioral Activation on daily step count and heart rate variability among older adults with depression in a study labeled a cluster randomized controlled trial (cRCT). However, only one cluster was assigned to either of the study conditions. Such a de...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-01-01
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| Series: | BMC Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-022-04491-0 |
| _version_ | 1797952424156069888 |
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| author | Yasaman Jamshidi-Naeini Lilian Golzarri-Arroyo Abu Bakkar Siddique Colby J. Vorland David B. Allison |
| author_facet | Yasaman Jamshidi-Naeini Lilian Golzarri-Arroyo Abu Bakkar Siddique Colby J. Vorland David B. Allison |
| author_sort | Yasaman Jamshidi-Naeini |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Ayudhaya et al. examined the effect of Behavioral Activation on daily step count and heart rate variability among older adults with depression in a study labeled a cluster randomized controlled trial (cRCT). However, only one cluster was assigned to either of the study conditions. Such a design would have zero degrees of freedom for inferential testing, because the variation due to cluster membership cannot be estimated apart from the variation due to treatment assignment. Thus, the intervention effect is completely confounded with the cluster effect. The study should be labeled a quasi-experimental study, not a cRCT. Accordingly, the numerical results should be interpreted as associations but not evidence for causal relationships. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T22:46:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-89d731053c1b4d7582de88649f804ecc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-244X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T22:46:06Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-89d731053c1b4d7582de88649f804ecc2023-01-15T12:17:55ZengBMCBMC Psychiatry1471-244X2023-01-012311210.1186/s12888-022-04491-0Only one cluster per condition is an invalid design for a cluster randomized trial and should be re-labeled a quasi-experimental study. Response to: “Effect of behavioral activation on time and frequency domain heart rate variability in older adults with subthreshold depression: a cluster randomized controlled trial in Thailand”Yasaman Jamshidi-Naeini0Lilian Golzarri-Arroyo1Abu Bakkar Siddique2Colby J. Vorland3David B. Allison4Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Indiana University School of Public Health- BloomingtonDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Indiana University School of Public Health- BloomingtonDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Indiana University School of Public Health- BloomingtonDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Indiana University School of Public Health- BloomingtonDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Indiana University School of Public Health- BloomingtonAbstract Ayudhaya et al. examined the effect of Behavioral Activation on daily step count and heart rate variability among older adults with depression in a study labeled a cluster randomized controlled trial (cRCT). However, only one cluster was assigned to either of the study conditions. Such a design would have zero degrees of freedom for inferential testing, because the variation due to cluster membership cannot be estimated apart from the variation due to treatment assignment. Thus, the intervention effect is completely confounded with the cluster effect. The study should be labeled a quasi-experimental study, not a cRCT. Accordingly, the numerical results should be interpreted as associations but not evidence for causal relationships.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-022-04491-0Cluster randomized trialDegrees of freedomInferential testingNesting |
| spellingShingle | Yasaman Jamshidi-Naeini Lilian Golzarri-Arroyo Abu Bakkar Siddique Colby J. Vorland David B. Allison Only one cluster per condition is an invalid design for a cluster randomized trial and should be re-labeled a quasi-experimental study. Response to: “Effect of behavioral activation on time and frequency domain heart rate variability in older adults with subthreshold depression: a cluster randomized controlled trial in Thailand” BMC Psychiatry Cluster randomized trial Degrees of freedom Inferential testing Nesting |
| title | Only one cluster per condition is an invalid design for a cluster randomized trial and should be re-labeled a quasi-experimental study. Response to: “Effect of behavioral activation on time and frequency domain heart rate variability in older adults with subthreshold depression: a cluster randomized controlled trial in Thailand” |
| title_full | Only one cluster per condition is an invalid design for a cluster randomized trial and should be re-labeled a quasi-experimental study. Response to: “Effect of behavioral activation on time and frequency domain heart rate variability in older adults with subthreshold depression: a cluster randomized controlled trial in Thailand” |
| title_fullStr | Only one cluster per condition is an invalid design for a cluster randomized trial and should be re-labeled a quasi-experimental study. Response to: “Effect of behavioral activation on time and frequency domain heart rate variability in older adults with subthreshold depression: a cluster randomized controlled trial in Thailand” |
| title_full_unstemmed | Only one cluster per condition is an invalid design for a cluster randomized trial and should be re-labeled a quasi-experimental study. Response to: “Effect of behavioral activation on time and frequency domain heart rate variability in older adults with subthreshold depression: a cluster randomized controlled trial in Thailand” |
| title_short | Only one cluster per condition is an invalid design for a cluster randomized trial and should be re-labeled a quasi-experimental study. Response to: “Effect of behavioral activation on time and frequency domain heart rate variability in older adults with subthreshold depression: a cluster randomized controlled trial in Thailand” |
| title_sort | only one cluster per condition is an invalid design for a cluster randomized trial and should be re labeled a quasi experimental study response to effect of behavioral activation on time and frequency domain heart rate variability in older adults with subthreshold depression a cluster randomized controlled trial in thailand |
| topic | Cluster randomized trial Degrees of freedom Inferential testing Nesting |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-022-04491-0 |
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