Integrative Review Capstone Toolkit

The analysis and synthesis of the findings from the included studies can take many forms for an integrative review.  

Analysis

For analysis, it is common to code and categorize the data that is extracted from each study.  Constant comparison, content analysis, and thematic analysis are analytic methods that are commonly employed in integrative reviews.  Analysis may also involve identification of gaps and inconsistencies in the literature

Synthesis

The goal of synthesis in an integrative review is to go beyond simply summarizing or reporting results of studies and instead form new perspectives.  Synthesis often involves identifying patterns, themes, clusters, relationships and variability among the data.

2021 Review Article

As there is a wide variety in analysis and synthesis approaches for integrative reviews, this recent review attempted to summarize the commonly used strategies in published integrative reviews:

Younas, A., Shahzad, S., & Inayat, S. (2021). Data analysis and presentation in integrative reviews: A narrative review. Western Journal of Nursing Research. https://doi.org/10.1177/01939459211030344

The authors describe four major categories of analytic methods utilized in integrative reviews:

• Non-Specific / Vague Methods
  • "review authors merely mentioned that they developed categories and themes without indicating the name of the method and outlining its steps..did not demonstrate how the reported themes or categories were generated"
• Inductive Methods
  • "explicitly stated approaches (e.g., inductive content analysis, thematic analysis, constant comparison, and thematic synthesis) entailing a transparent stepwise process of theme generation and integration"
• Deductive Methods
  • "the development of themes and categories in accordance with some pre-existing criteria"
• Framework Based Methods
  • existing frameworks (e.g., theoretic frameworks) applied during data analysis and synthesis

Similarly, there is a wide variety of presentation strategies in reporting findings in an integrative review.  The presentation methods identified in published integrative reviews include:

• Tabular Results
• Figures & Graphs
• Construct Maps & Word Clouds
• Conceptual Models

Examples from Published Integrative Reviews

Example 1

Ameel, M., Kontio, R., & Välimäki, M. (2019). Interventions delivered by nurses in adult outpatient psychiatric care: An integrative review. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 26(9–10), 301–322. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpm.12543 

• Synthesis Approach: Framework Synthesis 
• Presentation of Findings: Narrative, Graphic, and Tabular 

Example 2

Rantung, G., Griffiths, D., Plummer, V., & Moss, C. (2022). How emergency nurses cope and motivate themselves to sustain their caring work: An integrative literature review. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 31(7–8), 843–859. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.16005

• Synthesis Approach: Unclear (identified themes)
• Presentation of Findings: Narrative and Tabular 

Example 3

Palominos, E., Levett-Jones, T., Power, T., & Martinez-Maldonado, R. (2019). Healthcare students’ perceptions and experiences of making errors in simulation: An integrative review. Nurse Education Today, 77, 32–39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2019.02.013

• Synthesis Approach: Inductive Synthesis (Thematic Analysis)
• Presentation of Findings: Narrative