Université de Fribourg

Causal mediation analysis with double machine learning

Farbmacher, Helmut ; Huber, Martin ; Langen, Henrika ; Spindler, Martin

(Working Papers SES ; 515)

This paper combines causal mediation analysis with double machine learning to control for observed confounders in a data-driven way under a selection-on- observables assumption in a high-dimensional setting. We consider the average indirect effect of a binary treatment operating through an intermediate variable (or mediator) on the causal path between the treatment and the outcome, as well as...

Université de Fribourg

A review of causal mediation analysis for assessing direct and indirect treatment effects

Huber, Martin

(Working Papers SES ; 500)

Mediation analysis aims at evaluating the causal mechanisms through which a treatment or intervention affects an outcome of interest. The goal is to disentangle the total treatment effect into an indirect effect operating through one or several observed intermediate variables, the so-called mediators, as well as a direct effect reflecting any impact not captured by the observed mediator(s)....

Université de Fribourg

Direct and indirect effects of continuous treatments based on generalized propensity score weighting

Hsu, Yu-Chin ; Huber, Martin ; Lee, Ying-Ying ; Pipoz, Layal

(Working papers SES ; 495)

This paper proposes semi- and nonparametric methods for disentangling the total causal effect of a continuous treatment on an outcome variable into its natural direct effect and the indirect effect that operates through one or several intermediate variables or mediators. Our approach is based on weighting observations by the inverse of two versions of the generalized propensity score (GPS),...