Selecting a Within- or Between-Subject Design for Mediation: Validity, Causality, and Statistical Power

• Published in: Multivariate behavioral research Vol. 58; no. 3; pp. 616 - 636
• Main Author: Montoya, Amanda K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Routledge 04.05.2023; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: causal inference; Causality; Design factors; Empirical analysis; indirect effect; Mediation analysis; Monte Carlo simulation; power; power analysis; Statistical power; type I error; Validity; within-subject design; indirect effect; power; validity; within-subject design; causal inference; Mediation analysis; Monte Carlo simulation; type I error; power analysis

Researchers with mediation hypotheses must consider which design to use: within-subject or between-subject? In this paper, I argue that three factors should influence design choice: validity, causality, and statistical power. Threats to validity include carry-over effects, participant awareness, mea...