基于结构方程模型的多层中介效应分析

近年社科领域常见使用多层线性模型进行多层中介研究。尽管多层线性模型区分了多层中介的组间和组内效应, 仍然存在抽样误差和测量误差。比较好的方法是, 将多层线性模型整合到结构方程模型中, 在多层结构方程模型框架下设置潜变量和多指标, 可有效校正抽样误差和测量误差、得到比较准确的中介效应值, 还能适用于更多种类的多层中介分析并提供模型的拟合指数。在介绍新方法后, 总结出一套多层中介的分析流程, 通过一个例子来演示如何用MPLUS软件进行多层中介分析。最后展望了多层结构方程和多层中介研究的拓展方向。

Analyzing Multilevel Mediation Using Multilevel Structural Equation Models

In recent years, multilevel models (MLM) have been frequently used for studying multilevel mediation in social sciences. However, there still exist sampling errors and measurement errors even after separating the between-group effects from the within-group ones of multilevel mediation. To solve this problem, a new method has been developed abroad by integrating MLM with structural equation models (SEM) under the framework of multilevel structural equation models (MSEM) to set latent variables and multiple indicators. That method has proved to rectify sampling errors and measurement errors effectively and obtain more accurate mediating effect values. And it is applicable to a larger variety of multilevel mediation analysis and able to provide fit indices of the models. After introducing the new method, we proposed a procedure for analyzing multilevel mediation by using MSEM, with an example illustrating how to execute it with the software MPLUS. Directions for future study on multilevel mediation and MSEM were discussed at the end of the paper.