Evaluating mediation and moderation effects in school psychology: A presentation of methods and review of current practice

• Published in: Journal of school psychology Vol. 48; no. 1; pp. 53 - 84
• Main Authors: Fairchild, Amanda J., McQuillin, Samuel D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Ltd 01-02-2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adolescent; Effect Modifier, Epidemiologic; Effect Size; Evaluation; Humans; Interaction effect; Mediation; Models, Psychological; Models, Statistical; Moderation; Moderators; Psychology - methods; Psychology - statistics & numerical data; Research - statistics & numerical data; Research Design - statistics & numerical data; School Psychology; Schools; Statistical Analysis; Students - psychology; Students - statistics & numerical data; Moderation; Mediation; Interaction effect
• ISSN: 0022-4405; 1873-3506
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jsp.2009.09.001

Third variable effects elucidate the relation between two other variables, and can describe why they are related or under what conditions they are related. This article demonstrates methods to analyze two third-variable effects: moderation and mediation. The utility of examining moderation and mediation effects in school psychology is described and current use of the analyses in applied school psychology research is reviewed and evaluated. Proper statistical methods to test the effects are presented, and different effect size measures for the models are provided. Extensions of the basic moderator and mediator models are also described.