The utility of cumulative meta-analysis: application to programs for reducing sexual violence.

Recent advances in meta-analytic techniques provide a useful framework for interpreting the findings of individual studies. Simple formula are presented for determining whether the results of a single study are statistically different from the cumulative average of previous studies, and for calculating the new cumulative average. When applied to two controversial social policies (treatment of sexual offenders; rape prevention programs for college women), cumulative meta-analyses suggested patterns that were not identified by the authors of the individual studies nor by narrative reviews of these content areas.