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Mediational screening in theory and in practice
Author(s) -
Emery Robert E.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
american journal of community psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.113
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1573-2770
pISSN - 0091-0562
DOI - 10.1007/bf00937886
Subject(s) - selection (genetic algorithm) , health psychology , psychology , relation (database) , argument (complex analysis) , identification (biology) , social psychology , outcome (game theory) , developmental psychology , public health , medicine , computer science , artificial intelligence , mathematics , botany , nursing , mathematical economics , database , biology
Pillow et al.'s (1991) argument for mediational selection omits discussion of what may be the strategy's greatest advantage, the early identification of risk. The theoretical benefits to prevention of identifying developmental processes are briefly noted here. At the same time, practical limitations of mediational selection are noted, particularly in relation to establishing and interpreting the correlation found between mediational and outcome variables. It is concluded that mediational selection is one, but only one, selection strategy worthy of consideration in prevention research.