Abstract
This article combines procedures for single-level mediational analysis with multilevel modeling techniques in order to appropriately test mediational effects in clustered data. A simulation study compared the performance of these multilevel mediational models with that of single-level mediational models in clustered data with individual- or group-level initial independent variables, individual- or group-level mediators, and individual level outcomes. The standard errors of mediated effects from the multilevel solution were generally accurate, while those from the single-level procedure were downwardly biased, often by 20% or more. The multilevel advantage was greatest in those situations involving group-level variables, larger group sizes, and higher intraclass correlations in mediator and outcome variables. Multilevel mediational modeling methods were also applied to data from a preventive intervention designed to reduce intentions to use steroids among players on high school football teams. This example illustrates differences between single-level and multilevel mediational modeling in real-world clustered data and shows how the multilevel technique may lead to more accurate results.
Keywords
Multilevel modelMultilevel modellingPsychologyStructural equation modelingHierarchical database modelStatisticsEconometricsComputer scienceMathematicsData mining
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Publication Info
- Year
- 2001
- Type
- article
- Volume
- 36
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 249-277
- Citations
- 1297
- Access
- Closed
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Cite This
Jennifer L. Krull,
David P. MacKinnon
(2001).
Multilevel Modeling of Individual and Group Level Mediated Effects.
Multivariate Behavioral Research
, 36
(2)
, 249-277.
https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327906mbr3602_06
Identifiers
- DOI
- 10.1207/s15327906mbr3602_06