What does this research mean for the field?

Plain language summaries (PLSs) of psychological meta-analyses can enhance the accessibility of psychological scientific knowledge for users. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.CONFIRMATORY. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to investigate user perspectives on plain language summaries of psychological meta-analyses to enhance accessibility.

March 13, 2026Open Access

“A very first clue on the subject”: A focus group study on users’ perspectives on German plain language summaries of psychological meta-analyses

Key Points

This research aims to investigate user perspectives on plain language summaries of psychological meta-analyses to enhance accessibility.
Conducted focus group discussions with user groups to gather insights.
Analyzed feedback for potential improvements in plain language summaries.
Collaborated with the Leibniz Institute for Psychology for further development efforts.
Identified key user preferences for clarity and simplicity in plain language summaries.
Gathered suggestions that informed the redesign of existing summaries.
Highlighted the importance of accessibility in conveying psychological research.

Abstract

The PLSs of psychological meta-analyses investigated in this study have the potential to improve the accessibility of psychological scientific knowledge and provide an attractive first insight into a more extensive subject. The user groups' thoughts and ideas for improvement were implemented in the further development of the PLSs that are published by the Leibniz Institute for Psychology (ZPID).

“A very first clue on the subject”: A focus group study on users’ perspectives on German plain language summaries of psychological meta-analyses

Key Points

Abstract

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