re: Re: st: binary mediation command

["Ariel Linden, DrPH" <ariel.linden@gmail.com>]

There are several other approaches to mediation analysis. One technique that
I have recently become enamored with is a non-model based approach that can
accommodate any combination of data types for the mediator and outcome. This
eliminates the concerns that arise with forcing a non-linear variable into a
linear approach (using the standard Baron-Kenny model). This program by Imai
et al is in R, but they are about to come out with a Stata version (it's not
as complete as the R version but handles most jobs you'd ever need).

See: http://imai.princeton.edu/projects/mechanisms.html, in particular:

Imai, Kosuke, Luke Keele and Dustin Tingley (2010) A General Approach to
Causal
  Mediation Analysis, Psychological Methods 15(4) pp. 309-334. 

Imai, Kosuke, Luke Keele and Teppei Yamamoto (2010) Identification,
Inference, and
  Sensitivity Analysis for Mediation Effects, Statistical Sciences, 25(1)
pp.  51-71. 

I hope this helps

Ariel

Date: Thu, 16 Jun 2011 09:00:35 +0200
From: Maarten Buis <maartenlbuis@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: st: binary mediation command

On Wed, Jun 15, 2011 at 7:18 PM, Pina Valle wrote:
> I am trying to test mediation with a dichotomous outcome, and I have
looked around and found a command in STATA called binary_mediation. However,
there isn't really any indication in the notes I found on whether the
mediation is significant.

Mediation/indirect effects is  a surprisingly complicated problem in
non-linear models like -logit-. Various solutions have been proposed,
and there is no consensus yet on which one is to be preferred for
which situation. See for example:

M. Sinning, M. Hahn, and T.K. Bauer (2008) "The Blinder-Oaxaca
decomposition for nonlinear regression models." The Stata Journal,
8(4): 480--492.

M.L. Buis (2010) "Direct and indirect effects in a logit model", The
Stata Journal, 10(1), pp. 11-29.

Karlson, K.B. and A. Holm (forthcomming): "Decomposing primary and
secondary effects: A new decomposition method". Research in
Stratification and Social Mobility.

All of these have implementations in Stata, type in Stata
respectively: -findit nldecompose-, -findit ldecomp-, and -findit
khb-.

Hope this helps,
Maarten


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