Table 2.
Results of mediation analyses assessing the relationship between number of adversities experienced by age 9, pubertal timing and later self-harm
| Outcome | Mediator investigated | Direct effect | Indirect effect via mediator | Total effect | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RR | 95% CI | p value | RR | 95% CI | p value | RR | 95% CI | p value | ||
| Self-harm at 16 | aPHV (both sexes, main analysis N = 6689) | 1.14 | 1.09–1.20 | <0.001 | 1.00 | 1.00–1.00 | 0.446 | 1.14 | 1.09–1.20 | <0.001 |
| Self-harm at 16 | aPHV standardised by sex (both sexes, main analysis N = 6689) | 1.14 | 1.09–1.19 | <0.001 | 1.00 | 1.00–1.00 | 0.454 | 1.14 | 1.08–1.19 | <0.001 |
| Self-harm at 16 | AAM (females n = 4040) | 1.12 | 1.08–1.17 | <0.001 | 1.00 | 1.00–1.01 | 0.224 | 1.12 | 1.08–1.17 | <0.001 |
| Self-harm at 16 | aPHV (males only, n = 2533) | 1.14 | 1.04–1.25 | 0.007 | 1.00 | 0.99–1.01 | 0.878 | 1.14 | 1.04–1.25 | 0.007 |
| Self-harm at 16 | aPHV (females only, n = 4156) | 1.14 | 1.09–1.20 | <0.001 | 1.00 | 0.99–1.00 | 0.273 | 1.14 | 1.09–1.20 | <0.001 |
RR: relative risk; 95% CI: 95% confidence interval. RRs can be interpreted as the average percentage increase in risk (if >1) of the outcome for each additional type of adversity experienced prior to age 9 i.e. for row 1 direct effect, for every additional type of adversity experienced, participants were on average 14% more likely to report self-harm at age 16.