Current Directions in Mediation Analysis

Curr Dir Psychol Sci. 2009 Feb 1;18(1):16. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8721.2009.01598.x.

Abstract

Mediating variables continue to play an important role in psychological theory and research. A mediating variable transmits the effect of an antecedent variable on to a dependent variable, thereby providing more detailed understanding of relations among variables. Methods to assess mediation have been an active area of research for the last two decades. This paper describes the current state of methods to investigate mediating variables.