Draw a generic DAG that depicts confounding with the exposure X, outcome Y, and mediating pathway with a mediator M. Be sure your DAG has all arrows drawn in the correct direction... Draw a generic DAG that depicts confounding with the exposure X, outcome Y, and mediating pathway with a mediator M. Be sure your DAG has all arrows drawn in the correct direction (or dashed arrows if applicable).
Understand the Problem
The question is asking for a directed acyclic graph (DAG) that illustrates the relationship between an exposure (X), an outcome (Y), and a mediator (M) while considering the concept of confounding. The solution would involve correctly placing the arrows to represent these relationships and possibly using dashed arrows to indicate certain associations.
Answer
Arrows: X → Y, M → Y, X → M; Dashed: Confounder C → X, Y.
The DAG should include arrows from X (exposure) to Y (outcome), from M (mediator) to Y, and from X to M. Additionally, a dashed arrow from a confounder C to both X and Y indicates a confounding relationship.
Answer for screen readers
The DAG should include arrows from X (exposure) to Y (outcome), from M (mediator) to Y, and from X to M. Additionally, a dashed arrow from a confounder C to both X and Y indicates a confounding relationship.
More Information
Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAGs) are essential in understanding causal relationships. They visually represent causal assumptions by showing direct paths and confounding paths using nodes (variables) and arrows (causal directions).
Tips
A common mistake is incorrectly reversing the direction of arrows for causal paths, misunderstanding confounding paths, or forgetting to include all necessary variables.
Sources
- Directed Acyclic Graphs in Social Work Research and Evaluation - journals.uchicago.edu
- An Introduction to Directed Acyclic Graphs - CRAN - cran.r-project.org
