Table 3 Structural equation model estimates of the processes underlying the association between maternal and offspring suicidal behavior.

From: The intergenerational transmission of suicidal behavior: an offspring of siblings study

 

\(\hat \beta\) (95% CI)

\(\widehat {r_g}\) (95% CI)

\(\widehat {a_p^2}\) (95% CI)

\(\widehat {c_p^2}\) (95% CI)

\(\widehat {e_p^2}\) (95% CI)

\(\widehat {a_o^2}\) (95% CI)

\(\widehat {c_o^2}\) (95% CI)

\(\widehat {e_p^2}\) (95% CI)

Covariance due to \(\beta\) (95% CI)

Model with minimal adjustmenta

0.04 (0.001, 0.08)

0.39 (0.27, 0.51)

0.50 (0.46, 0.54)

0.00

0.50 (0.46, 0.54)

0.61 (0.57, 0.65)

0.00

0.39 (0.35, 0.43)

29.2% (5.29, 53.11%)

Model with adjustment for offspring and maternal propensity scoreb

0.02 (−0.02, 0.06)

0.31 (0.17, 0.45)

0.33 (0.27, 0.39)

0.00

0.67 (0.61, 0.73)

0.60 (0.56, 0.64)

0.00

0.40 (0.36, 0.44)

20.7% (−19.28, 60.68%)

Model with adjustment for offspring, maternal, and paternal propensity scorec

0.01 (−0.03, 0.05)

0.30 (0.18, 0.42)

0.31 (0.25, 0.37)

0.00

0.69 (0.63, 0.75)

0.60 (0.56, 0.64)

0.00

0.40 (0.36, 0.44)

15.7% (−20.17, 51.57%)

  1. Note: β represents the direct path from parent to offspring, rg represents the genetic correlation between parent and offspring, \(a_p^2\) represents the heritability of parental suicidal behavior, \(c_p^2\) represents the shared environmental influence on parental suicidal behavior, \(e_p^2\) represents the nonshared environmental influence on parental suicidal behavior, \(a_o^2\) represents the heritability of offspring suicidal behavior, \(c_o^2\) represents the shared environmental influence on offspring suicidal behavior, and \(e_p^2\) represents the nonshared environmental influence on offspring suicidal behavior. The covariance due to β captures the covariation between parent and offspring suicidal behavior not due to genetic and environmental confounding (i.e., due to the direct effect). The model assumes that β and rg are freely estimated and the heritability of parental and offspring suicidal behavior are different.
  2. aIncludes adjustment for parent-sibling and offspring-sibling type and differences in the expected prevalence of parental and offspring suicidal behavior.
  3. bAdditionally includes adjustment for offspring (derived from year of birth, parity, and parental age at childbearing) and maternal propensity score (derived from educational attainment, country of origin, severe mental illness, substance use, and criminal convictions).
  4. cAdditionally includes adjustment for paternal propensity score (derived from educational attainment, country of origin, severe mental illness, substance use, and criminal convictions).
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