[R-meta] Overlapping CIs with significant difference among subgroups

-----Original Message-----
From: R-sig-meta-analysis [mailto:r-sig-meta-analysis-bounces at r-project.org]
On Behalf Of Gerta Ruecker
Sent: Thursday, 04 June, 2020 11:32
To: r-sig-meta-analysis at r-project.org
Subject: Re: [R-meta] Overlapping CIs with significant difference among
subgroups

Dear Rafael,

First of all, the information content of standard errors and confidence
intervals is identical, they can be transformed into each other.
Secondly, to present standard errors in a graph, one would probably show
x ? SE(x) instead of x ? 1.96*SE(x). But what would be the advantage?
The interpretation of this intercval would mean that the true value is
covered by 68% of all such intervals (=1-2*(1-pnorm(1))). I don't think
that this is of more interest than a confidence interval.

The main aim of a forest plot is interval estimation, not statistically
comparing different studies.

Best,

Gerta

Am 04.06.2020 um 08:26 schrieb Rafael Rios:

Dear Dr. Wolfgang,

Thank you for the feedback. I was wondering why meta-analysts did not
exhibit standard errors instead of confidence intervals in graphs. I can
understand the importance of showing that CIs did not include zero, but
standard errors can be more informative when comparing subgroups of a
moderator. This is just a curiosity.

Best wishes,

Rafael.