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PreprintCC BY 4.0PsyArXiv

Shared Cause Adjusted Mediation (SCAM): Introduction of method with empirical applications

  • Kimmo Sorjonen
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Abstract

A genuine mediated effect, also called an indirect effect, is the part of the relationship between a predictor (X) and an outcome (Y) that operates through a third variable, called a mediator (M). However, estimated mediated effects do not prove genuine mediation as they only require variables to be correlated and correlations may be due to confounding. Here, I propose adjusting for effects that are expected if the predictor, outcome, and mediator(s) share a common latent cause. In an application of this method on four studies using serial mediation analyses, only 5 of 24 (21%) reported effects remained statistically significant after such adjustment for a shared latent cause.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@misc{sorjonen2026shared,
  title = {{Shared Cause Adjusted Mediation (SCAM): Introduction of method with empirical applications}},
  author = {Kimmo Sorjonen},
  howpublished = {PsyArXiv},
  year = {2026},
  month = nov,
  doi = {10.31234/osf.io/z2hpt_v1},
  url = {https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/z2hpt_v1/},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - UNPB
TI  - Shared Cause Adjusted Mediation (SCAM): Introduction of method with empirical applications
AU  - Kimmo Sorjonen
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/11/06
PB  - PsyArXiv
DO  - 10.31234/osf.io/z2hpt_v1
UR  - https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/z2hpt_v1/
AB  - A genuine mediated effect, also called an indirect effect, is the part of the relationship between a predictor (X) and an outcome (Y) that operates through a third variable, called a mediator (M). However, estimated mediated effects do not prove genuine mediation as they only require variables to be correlated and correlations may be due to confounding. Here, I propose adjusting for effects that are expected if the predictor, outcome, and mediator(s) share a common latent cause. In an application of this method on four studies using serial mediation analyses, only 5 of 24 (21%) reported effects remained statistically significant after such adjustment for a shared latent cause.
ER  -