In addition, preliminary Pearson correlations were computed among the variables under study to assess criteria for mediation and potential mediator models.
With regard to statistical analysis, a variety of data analytic strategies and procedures have been developed to assess whether a putative mediator meets statistical criteria for mediation.
This means that in our data the contribution of FAD and MFD to QoL is indeed mediated by mood, meeting established criteria for mediation [ 51].
In our analyses, all main criteria for mediation were fulfilled, including significance of the indirect path.
Thus, HOMA-IR, CRP, and IL-6 did not meet the three Baron and Kenny criteria for mediation.
The mediation argument is the most complex one as the criteria for mediation differs depending on the study design [ 53, 54].
Renting one's own home (Fig. 3C) and low income (Fig. 3D) both met the criteria for mediation, as confirmed by path analysis.
Despite losing statistical power, the results from never smokers were consistent with the main analysis in Table 2. Thigh muscle area met all four criteria for mediation (22), as shown in models 1 4 (Table 4).
Path analysis confirmed that more negative behaviors did meet the other criteria for mediation, with higher levels being social patterned (higher prevalence with lower SEP) and being associated with higher allostatic load (Fig. 5).
A depiction of the final regression model is shown in Table 4. Applying Baron and Kenny's criteria for mediation, 44 only two level 2 variables (QOLS and SF36-PCS) had statistically significant effects on SPWB when all variables were entered (see Table 3), and could potentially be included in mediation analyses.
