Σύγκριση μεθόδων

	Ποιοτική Μετα-Σύνθεση	Θεματική Ανάλυση
Πεδίο	Σύνθεση Τεκμηρίων	Ποιοτική Έρευνα
Οικογένεια	Process / pipeline	Process / pipeline
Έτος προέλευσης	2007	2006
Δημιουργός	Sandelowski & Barroso (2007), Popularized by Thomas & Harden (2008)	Virginia Braun and Victoria Clarke
Τύπος	Framework	Method
Θεμελιώδης πηγή	Thomas, J., & Harden, A. (2008). Methods for the thematic synthesis of qualitative research in systematic reviews. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 8, 45.	Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101.
Εναλλακτικές ονομασίες	Qualitative Evidence Synthesis, Thematic Synthesis, Metasynthesis, Qualitative Systematic Review	TA, Reflexive Thematic Analysis
Συναφείς	2	3
Σύνοψη	Qualitative meta-synthesis is a systematic method for synthesizing findings from multiple qualitative research studies (interviews, focus groups, ethnographies) to develop integrated interpretations and theoretical insights. Formalized by Sandelowski and Barroso (2007) and popularized by Thomas and Harden (2008), qualitative meta-synthesis preserves the rich, contextual, interpretive nature of qualitative evidence while enabling broader conclusions across multiple studies. Unlike quantitative meta-analysis, which pools numbers, qualitative meta-synthesis synthesizes themes, meanings, and conceptual insights—answering questions like 'How do cancer patients experience treatment side effects?' or 'What factors shape patient engagement with preventive health programs?' across multiple studies.	Thematic Analysis (TA) is a qualitative research methodology for identifying, analyzing, and reporting patterns (themes) in qualitative data. Developed systematically by Virginia Braun and Victoria Clarke (2006), TA is flexible and accessible, applicable across diverse theoretical frameworks and data types, making it one of the most widely used qualitative methods in psychology, health research, and social sciences.