Causal Inference III

Causal Medication Analysis: Concepts and Identification

By Li Ge in Causal Inference

November 13, 2020

Objectives

In the third part of this series, I will introduce the concepts of causal mediation analysis and the identification strategies for the controlled direct effect, natural direct effect, and natural indirect effect.

Table of Contents

  1. Motivation
    • Background
    • Standard Approaches
      • Difference Method
      • Product Method (Baron & Kenny 1986)
      • Equivalence of Difference and Product Method for Continuous Outcomes
    • Limitation of Standard Approaches
  2. Causal Mediation Analysis
    • Definitions
    • Causal Estimands (Robins & Greenland 1992; Pearl 2001)
      • Controlled Direct Effect (CDE)
      • Natural Direct Effect (NDE)
      • Natural Indirect Effect (NIE)
    • Interpretation of CDE and NDE
  3. Identification (VanderWeele 2015)
    • Assumptions
    • Graphical Adjustment Criteria
    • Nonparametric Identification of CDE
    • Nonparametric Identification of NDE & NIE
    • Sequential Adjustment Criteria for CDE
  4. Estimation: Regression Methods
    • Estimation of CDE, NDE & NIE (VanderWeele & Vansteelandt 2009)

Slides

li_ge_mediation.pdf