Table 3.

Estimates from causal mediation analysis for the association of maternal education and socioemotional behavioural problems at age 11 years in the UK MCS and the DNBC

Mediator	Effect	RR	95% CI	PM	95% CI
MCS
Perinatal factors	Natural direct effect	3.95	3.05 to 5.12	10.17	4.47 to 15.87
Perinatal factors	Natural indirect effect	1.08	1.03 to 1.14	.	.
Perinatal factors	Total effect	4.28	3.30 to 5.54	.	.
+Childhood illness at age 7 years	Natural direct effect	3.89	3.01 to 5.04	11.53	5.20 to 17.86
+Childhood illness at age 7 years	Natural indirect effect	1.09	1.04 to 1.16	.	.
+Childhood illness at age 7 years	Total effect	4.28	3.30 to 5.54	.	.
+Maternal mental health at age 7 years	Natural direct effect	3.15	2.44 to 4.06	32.21	25.37 to 39.06
+Maternal mental health at age 7 years	Natural indirect effect	1.33	1.23 to 1.44	.	.
+Maternal mental health at age 7 years	Total effect	4.28	3.30 to 5.54	.	.
DNBC
Perinatal factors	Natural direct effect	5.26	4.16 to 6.64	16.47	11.88 to 21.06
Perinatal factors	Natural indirect effect	1.16	1.11 to 1.21	.	.
Perinatal factors	Total effect	6.21	4.94 to 7.80	.	.
+Childhood illness at age 7 years	Natural direct effect	5.25	4.17 to 6.61	15.59	9.86 to 21.31
+Childhood illness at age 7 years	Natural indirect effect	1.15	1.09 to 1.21	.	.
+Childhood illness at age 7 years	Total effect	6.21	4.94 to 7.80	.	.
+Maternal mental health at age 7 years	Natural direct effect	5.19	4.12 to 6.53	16.91	11.17 to 22.64
+Maternal mental health at age 7 years	Natural indirect effect	1.16	1.10 to 1.23	.	.
+Maternal mental health at age 7 years	Total effect	6.21	4.94 to 7.80	.	.

DNBC, Danish National Birth Cohort; MCS, Millennium Cohort Study; PM, proportion mediated; RR, relative risk.