Contemporary Applications of Moderation Analysis in Counseling Psychology

Moderation analyses represent a statistical technique that can be particularly useful for counseling psychology researchers. This technique allows researchers to assess whether a given relationship depends on a third, moderating variable. The present article provides a brief overview of moderation, followed by 3 broad areas relevant for research: designing a study, analyzing the data, and interpreting results. Particular focus is applied to the topic of latent variable moderation, including an applied example with real data. Public Significance Statement Moderation analyses typically describe when or for whom a variable is related to an outcome. This article discusses recent advances in moderation analyses, with an emphasis on how they can be applied in counseling psychology research.