School of Nursing, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Box 2455, Clinical Sciences Center, K6/3, 600 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53792, USA.
Nurs Res. 2010 Jul-Aug;59(4):288-94. doi: 10.1097/NNR.0b013e3181dd26b3.
R. M. Baron and D. A. Kenny (1986) defined mediation and described how to perform statistical tests of mediation hypotheses. Their approach to testing mediation has been used extensively in the nursing literature. However, many statisticians have identified problems with the Baron and Kenny approach.
The aim of this paper is to critically evaluate alternative approaches to testing mediation.
The Baron and Kenny approach and its shortcomings are briefly reviewed. A critical analysis of 17 alternate methods in three categories is then presented: (a)causal steps, (b) difference in coefficients, and (c) product of coefficients. The evaluation focuses on Type I error rate control, power, ease of computation, and versatility of use.
Of the methods that control Type I error rate adequately, the joint significance test of [alpha] and [beta], the asymmetric distribution of products test, and the test of the products using the percentile bootstrap method are the most powerful tests of mediation. Of these three, the joint significance test of [alpha] and [beta] is superior due to its computational ease and versatility of use.
Knowledge development in nursing will benefit from continued research testing mediation models. Nurse researchers could move beyond the Baron and Kenny approach to utilize more robust tests of mediation.
R.M. 男爵和 D.A. 肯尼（1986 年）定义了中介，并描述了如何对中介假设进行统计检验。他们的中介检验方法在护理文献中得到了广泛应用。然而，许多统计学家已经发现了男爵和肯尼方法的问题。
本文旨在批判性地评价中介检验的替代方法。
简要回顾了男爵和肯尼的方法及其缺点。然后，对三类 17 种替代方法进行了批判性分析：（a）因果步骤，（b）系数差异，（c）系数乘积。评估重点是第一类错误率控制、功效、计算的简便性和使用的多功能性。
在适当控制第一类错误率的方法中，[alpha]和[beta]的联合显著性检验、产品不对称分布检验以及使用百分位自举法检验产品的方法是中介检验最有效的方法。在这三种方法中，[alpha]和[beta]的联合显著性检验由于其计算简便和使用的多功能性而更为优越。
护理知识的发展将受益于对中介模型的持续研究检验。护士研究人员可以超越男爵和肯尼的方法，利用更强大的中介检验方法。
