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[R-meta] CHE- Model Moderator/ Subgroup Analysis

Hi Wilma,

Short answer: Yes, you can conduct subgroup analysis just as in a regular
random effects meta-analysis, by specifying predictors in the mods argument
of rma.mv().

Here is an example using the continuous predictor X:
rma.mv(
  yi = yi, V = V,
  mods = ~ X,
  random = list(~ 1 | StudyID, ~ 1 | EffectsizeID),
  data = df,
  level = 95,
  method = "REML"
) |>
  robust(cluster = StudyID, clubSandwich = TRUE)

Here is an example using the categorical predictor Cat, with the model
specified to estimate average effect sizes for each level of Cat:
rma.mv(
  yi = yi, V = V,
  mods = ~ 0 + Cat,
  random = list(~ 1 | StudyID, ~ 1 | EffectsizeID),
  data = df,
  level = 95,
  method = "REML"
) |>
  robust(cluster = StudyID, clubSandwich = TRUE)

With CHE or other working models for dependent effect sizes, there is the
further, somewhat nuanced question of distinguishing within-study and
between-study effects of the predictor(s). Tanner-Smith, Tipton, and
Polanin (2016; https://doi.org/10.1007/s40865-016-0026-5) recommend
centering the predictors by study so that the between-study effect and
within-study effect can be separately estimated. So if you have a
continuous X, you would end up using two predictors (the within-study
centered X and the study-level averaged X). With a categorical predictor,
implementing this strategy would entail creating dummy variables for each
category and then centering the dummy variables.

James

On Mon, Jul 17, 2023 at 2:31?PM Wilma Charlott Theilig via
R-sig-meta-analysis <r-sig-meta-analysis at r-project.org> wrote: