Table 2.

Critical appraisal of the included studies using the Johanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tool for Quasi-experimental Studies [57]

	Bass et al. 2002 [76]	Chuang et al. 2015 [77]	Dahmen-Zimmer and Jansen 2017 [78]	Johnston et al. 2021 [81]	Leste and Ruste 1984 [79]	Neville and Makopoulou 2021 [82]	Rawson et al. 2019 [83]	Soares Costa de Mendonca et al. 2015 [80]
Is it clear in the study what is the ‘cause’ and what is the ‘effect’ (i.e. there is no confusion about which variable comes first)?	✔	✔	✔	?	✔	✔	✔	✔
Were the participants included in any comparisons similar?	×	?	?	?	×	✔	✔	?
Were the participants included in any comparisons receiving similar treatment/care, other than the exposure or intervention of interest?	?	?	?	✔	?	✔	✔	?
Was there a control group?	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Were there multiple measurements of the outcome both pre and post the intervention/exposure?	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Was follow-up complete, and, if not, were differences between groups in terms of their follow-up adequately described and analysed?	?	?	?	?	?	✔	?	?
Were the outcomes of participants included in any comparisons measured in the same way?	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Were outcomes measured in a reliable way?	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Was appropriate statistical analysis used?	✔	✔	✔	×	✔	✔	✔	✔

✔ Yes, × No, ? Unclear