The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) version 2018 for information professionals and researchers

Abstract

Introduction: Appraising the quality of studies included in systematic reviews combining qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods studies is challenging. To address this challenge, a critical appraisal tool was developed: the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). The aim of this paper is to present the MMAT. Development: The MMAT was developed in 2006 and was subject to pilot and interrater reliability testing. A revised new version of the MMAT was developed using the results from usefulness testing as well as a literature review on critical appraisal tools and a modified e-Delphi study with methodological experts to identify the core relevant criteria to include in the MMAT. Tool description: The MMAT includes quality criteria of five categories of study designs: (a) qualitative, (b) randomized controlled trial, (c) nonrandomized, (d) quantitative descriptive and (e) mixed methods studies. The MMAT focuses on core relevant methodological criteria and has five criteria per category of study design. Conclusion: The MMAT offers an alternative solution by proposing a unique tool that can appraise the quality of different study designs. Also, by limiting to core criteria, the MMAT can provide a more time efficient appraisal.

Clinical manifestations of osteogenesis imperfecta in adulthood: An integrative review of quantitative studies and case reports

“…Both tools have been previously used in OI reviews (Dahan-Oliel et al, 2016;Nghiem et al, 2017). The MMAT was created for the appraisal stage of complex literature reviews (Hong et al, 2018). For each study, the methodological quality was evaluated by giving a score ranging from 0% (all five criteria were unmet) to 100% (all five criteria were met; Hong et al, 2018).…”

A typology of systematic reviews for synthesising evidence on health care

“…Like qualitative synthesis, there is no consensus on how to appraise realist reviews beyond the subjective judgements of experts . The “Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool” (MMAT) is for experts in each component of the mix to appraise the research designs of the primary studies and the syntheses of evidence from them . It is a checklist for judging the systematic methods rather than the credibility or practicality of the evidence synthesised.…”

The implementation of the nursing process in lower‐income countries: An integrative review

“…Critical appraisal of methodological features is complex to evaluate the quality of studies in integrative reviews (Whittemore & Knafl, ). Due to lack of guidelines for evaluating research quality in integrative reviews, the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) was adopted as it helps overcome challenges associated with evaluating the methodological quality of varied studies (Hong et al, ; Pace et al, ; Whittemore & Knafl, ). We used this method to evaluate the quality of selected studies and also to increase the validity of the study.…”

“…The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) seems to be a useful and unique tool for evaluating MSR (qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods) with scores varying between 25% (meeting one criterion)–100% (meeting all four criteria) (Crowe & Sheppard, ). The MMAT is designed for the appraisal stage of systematic mixed studies reviews and permits to appraise the methodological quality of five categories to studies of qualitative research, randomized controlled trials, non‐randomized studies, quantitative descriptive studies and mixed methods studies (Crowe & Sheppard, ; Hong et al, ). This tool is recommended by the National Institute of Excellence in Health Services in Quebec (INESS) and increasingly popular because of their potential for addressing complex interventions and phenomena, specifically for assessing and improving clinical practice (Hong, Gonzalez‐Reyes, & Pluye, ).…”