What does a correlation coefficient of +/- .1 indicate?

A correlation coefficient of +/- .1 indicates a small effect size in the context of statistical analysis, particularly in behavioral and social sciences. Correlation coefficients range from -1 to 1, where values near 0 indicate no relationship between two variables, while values close to -1 or 1 indicate a strong negative or positive relationship, respectively.

In this case, a correlation of .1 suggests a weak but positive relationship, indicating that as one variable increases, the other tends to increase slightly as well. Although it does reflect a consistent tendency, it is not strong enough to denote a meaningful or significant relationship in most practical contexts. Understanding effect sizes is crucial in clinical psychology research as it helps quantify the strength of relationships between variables, which can inform treatment decisions and therapeutic practices. Thus, a small effect size like +/- .1 is important for interpreting results and determining their relevance in clinical settings.