Cited by 39Advanced Causal Inference TechniquesStatistical Methods and Bayesian InferencePsychometric Methodologies and Testing

Tests of mediation: Paradoxical decline in statistical power as a function of mediator collinearity

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Beasley, T. Mark·2014·The Journal of Experimental Education

Abstract

Increasing the correlation between the independent variable and the mediator (a coefficient) increases the effect size (ab) for mediation analysis; however, increasing a by definition increases collinearity in mediation models. As a result, the standard error of product tests increase. The variance inflation caused by increases in a at some point outweighs the increase of the effect size (ab) and results in a loss of statistical power. This phenomenon also occurs with nonparametric bootstrapping approaches because the variance of the bootstrap distribution of ab approximates the variance expected from normal theory. Both variances increase dramatically when a exceeds the b coefficient, thus explaining the power decline with increases in a. Implications for statistical analysis and applied researchers are discussed.

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Crossref · 10.1080/00220973.2013.813360

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  • A large coefficient relating the independent variable to the mediator increases the error variance of the indirect effect, making it more likely that zero will be contained in bootstrap confidence intervals, especially when the coefficient relating the mediator to the outcome is substantially smaller.

    “Moreover, a large coefficient relating the independent variable to the mediator also increases the error variance of the indirect effect, making it more likely that zero will be contained in bootstrap confidence intervals, a problem that is enhanced when the coefficient relating the mediator to the outcome variable is substantially smaller (Beasley, 2014).”

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  1. Cochran WG Sampling Techniques 1963 Wiley New York

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Authors
Beasley, T. M.
Affiliations
United States Department of Veterans Affairs (US)
Corresponding author
Beasley, T. Mark
Venue
The Journal of Experimental Education
Published
2013-08-12
Volume
82
Issue
3
Pages
283-306
ISSN
  • 0022-0973 (ISSN-L)
  • 1940-0683
OpenAlex
W2152230819
Cited by
39
References
52
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 1
FWCI
0.59
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • The Journal of Experimental Education (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (P60AR048095)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Statistics and Probability › Advanced Causal Inference Techniques
  • Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Statistics and Probability › Statistical Methods and Bayesian Inference
  • Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Management Science and Operations Research › Psychometric Methodologies and Testing
Keywords
mediation analysis, statistical power, variance inflation, effect size, nonparametric bootstrap

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