Types of Analysis: Planned (prespecified) vs Post Hoc, Primary vs Secondary, Hypothesis-driven vs Exploratory, Subgroup and Sensitivity, and Others.

Journal: Indian journal of psychological medicine

Volume: 45

Issue: 6

Year of Publication: 

Affiliated Institutions:  Dept. of Clinical Psychopharmacology and Neurotoxicology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.

Abstract summary 

In research, there are different, overlapping ways in which the plan of analysis may be described. This article explains planned (prespecified) vs post hoc, primary vs secondary, hypothesis-driven vs exploratory, and subgroup and sensitivity analyses; intent-to-treat vs per-protocol vs completer analysis was explained in an earlier article in this column. A prespecified analysis is one that is outlined before the study starts; it is usually separated into primary and secondary analyses for the single primary outcome and the many secondary outcomes, respectively. Exploratory analyses examine relationships between variables in the absence of well-defined expectations; these tend to be statistical fishing expeditions. Subgroup analyses examine findings in categories of subjects in the sample. Sensitivity analyses examine whether the findings remain similar if the data are handled in a way that differs from the original plan of analysis. Post hoc analyses examine hypotheses that are conceptualized after the data are seen. All these terms are explained with the help of examples, and strengths and limitations are briefly discussed.

Authors & Co-authors:  Andrade

Study Outcome 

Source Link: Visit source

Statistics
Citations :  Andrade C. Intent-to-treat (ITT) vs completer or per-protocol analysis in randomized controlled trials. Indian J Psychol Med, 2022; 44(4): 416–418.
Authors :  1
Identifiers
Doi : 10.1177/02537176231216842
SSN : 0253-7176
Study Population
Male,Female
Mesh Terms
Other Terms
Hypothesis driven vs exploratory analysis;Intent-to-treat vs per-protocol vs completer analysis;Planned (prespecified) vs post hoc analysis;Primary vs secondary analysis;Sensitivity analysis;Subgroup analysis
Study Design
Study Approach
Country of Study
Publication Country
United States