Reversing Arrows in Mediation Models Does Not Distinguish Plausible Models
Reversing Arrows in Mediation Models Does Not Distinguish Plausible Models
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DOI：
10.1080/01973533.2015.1049351
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发表时间：
2015-07-04
影响因子：
2.4
通讯作者：
Thoemmes, Felix
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Thoemmes, Felix
将经典的三变量X-M-Y中介模型中的箭头反向作为检验一个中介模型是否上级另一个中介模型的测试是不允许的。提出证据表明，一个三变量中介模型产生了显着的间接影响，而一个与一些反向箭头没有，是没有证据，甚至证据，一个模型应该是首选。事实上，如果模型属于同一个所谓的等价类，那么间接效应或任何其他效应的显著性永远不能用来推断一个模型是否应该优于另一个模型。应放弃采用几种调解模式，然后用反向箭头来决定选择哪种模式的做法。在等效模型中进行选择的唯一方法是通过设计特征实现的假设或基于理论调用的假设。类似的论点逆转箭头在调解模型之前已经提出，但目前的工作是第一次推导出这个结果分析的完整（马尔可夫）等价类的三变量调解模型。
Reversing arrows in the classic tri-variate X-M-Y mediation models as a test to check whether one mediation model is superior to another is inadmissible. Presenting evidence that one tri-variate mediation model yields a significant indirect effect, whereas one with some reversed arrows does not, is not proof or even evidence that one model should be preferred. In fact, the significance of the indirect or any other effect can never be used to infer whether one model should be preferred over another, if the models are in the same so-called equivalence class. The practice of running several mediation models with reversed arrows to decide which model to prefer should be abandoned. The only way to choose among equivalent models is through assumptions that are either fulfilled by design features or invoked based on theory. Similar arguments about reversing arrows in mediation models have been made before, but this current work is the first to derive this result analytically for the complete (Markovian) equivalence class of the tri-variate mediation model.