Table 1 Summary of quality assessment for the studies included

Alonso, Fernandez, Mataix et al. (1999)

No

Not mentioned

No

N/A

None

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Beasley, Capossela, Brigham, Gunderson and Gortmaker (1997)

No

No

No

N/A

None

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Bleakley (2010)

No

No

No

N/A

None

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Dettle, Sagel and Chrysler (1994)

No

No

Yes (but no statistical comparison between groups)

Not mentioned

None

Not mentioned

Not mentioned

no

40% attrition;

No analysis of dropouts

Kittur, McMenamin and Knott (1990)

No

No

Yes

Not randomly assigned

None

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Light (1987)

No

No

Yes (but no statistical comparison between groups)

Not randomly assigned

None

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Milanés, Gonzalez, Hernandez, Arminio, Clesca and Rivas-Vetencourt (2003)

No

No

No

N/A

None

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Nelson, Marymont, Durand, Reyes and Davis (1992)

Random cluster probability method

No

Yes

Not randomly assigned

None

Field testing of the questionnaire (but validity/reliability assessment not detailed)

N/A

N/A

Niday, Painter, Peak et al. (2007)

No

No

No

N/A

None

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Riker and White (1995)

No

No

Yes

Not randomly assigned

None

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Shafer, Durand, Hueneke, et al. (1998)

No

No

No

N/A

None

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Stark, Wikoren and Martone (1994)

No

No

No

N/A

None

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Taylor, Young and Kneteman (1997)

No

No

No

N/A

‘Change theory’ (not referenced)

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Van Gelder, Van Hees, de Roey, Monbaliu, Aerts, Coosemans et al. (2006)

No

No

No

N/A

None

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Wight, Cohen, Roels and Miranda (2000)

No

No

No

N/A

None

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A