Assessing specific mediational effects in complex theoretical models

Numerous theoretical structures involve the concept of mediation, the mechanism that accounts for the relation between the predictor and the criterion. The, empirical interpretation of mediation has employed multiple independent models to assess components of the overall structure in a piecemeal manner. This article discusses various limitations of using this independent approach and proposes the use of structural equation modeling (SEM) as an alternative. The article furthermore distinguishes current limitations in using SEM software for assessing mediation in complex structures and presents a strategy for supplemental details that more accurately measure the magnitude of mediational effects, in particular, specific indirect effects.