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. 2015 Dec;50(12):1223-5.
doi: 10.4085/1062-6050-51.1.04.

Statistical Primer for Athletic Trainers: The Difference Between Statistical and Clinical Meaningfulness

Bryan L Riemann  1 , Monica Lininger  2
Affiliations

Statistical Primer for Athletic Trainers: The Difference Between Statistical and Clinical Meaningfulness

Bryan L Riemann et al. J Athl Train. 2015 Dec.

Abstract

Objective: To explain statistical significance and clinical meaningfulness and to provide guidance in evaluating the clinical meaningfulness of a study.

Background: Understanding the results and statistics reported in original research remains a large challenge for many certified athletic trainers, which in turn, may be among the biggest barriers to integrating research into athletic training practice.

Description: Statistical significance reflects the influence of chance on the outcome, whereas clinical meaningfulness reflects the degree to which the differences and relationships reported in a study are relevant to athletic training practice. As consumers of original research, athletic trainers must understand the core factors, most notably sample size, that influence statistical significance.

Recommendations: To assist clinicians in evaluating the clinical meaningfulness of a research study, authors should provide the core elements necessary for interpreting statistical significance and discuss the clinical meaningfulness of statistically significant findings.

Keywords: P values; research design; statistics.

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References

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