What type of literature review is designed for synthesizing qualitative research findings?

The type of literature review that is specifically designed for synthesizing qualitative research findings is meta-synthesis. This approach allows researchers to integrate and interpret findings from multiple qualitative studies, giving a deeper understanding of the phenomena being studied. Unlike systematic reviews, which focus primarily on quantitative data, meta-synthesis emphasizes the narrative and thematic elements present in qualitative research.

Meta-synthesis involves the identification of common themes and concepts across different studies, providing an overarching narrative that presents a comprehensive view of the qualitative evidence. This is particularly valuable in fields such as healthcare, where understanding patients' experiences, beliefs, and behaviors are crucial for developing effective practices.

While systematic reviews and meta-analyses are useful for quantitative data and the statistical synthesis of results, they do not adequately address the nuances and complexities inherent in qualitative data. A literature survey tends to provide a broad overview of available literature without the focused synthesis that a meta-synthesis achieves. Therefore, meta-synthesis is specifically tailored to the complexities of qualitative research, making it the correct choice in this context.