D. Mackinnon, C. Lockwood, J. Hoffman, S. West, Virgil L. Sheets
2002.3.1PSYCHOLOGICAL METHODS
tlooto Summary
A Monte Carlo study compared 14 methods to test the statistical significance of the intervening variable effect and found two methods based on the distribution of the product and 2 difference-in-coefficients methods have the most accurate Type I error rates and greatest statistical power.
Abstract
A Monte Carlo study compared 14 methods to test the statistical significance of the intervening variable effect. An intervening variable (mediator) transmits the effect of an independent variable to a dependent variable. The commonly used R. M. Baron and D. A. Kenny (1986) approach has low statistical power. Two methods based on the distribution of the product and 2 difference-in-coefficients methods have the most accurate Type I error rates and greatest statistical power except in 1 important case in which Type I error rates are too high. The best balance of Type I error and statistical power across all cases is the test of the joint significance of the two effects comprising the intervening variable effect.
Citation format
MACKINNON, D., et al. A comparison of methods to test mediation and other intervening variable effects. PSYCHOLOGICAL METHODS, 2002, 7 1: 83–104.