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Table 3 Path analysis*

From: A path analysis of the effects of the doctor-patient encounter and expectancy in an open-label randomized trial of spinal manipulation for the care of low back pain

Dependent variables

Direct effects

Indirect effects

Total effects

   Determinants

β

95% CI

β

95% CI

β

95% CI

Expectations – baseline (R2 = 0.07)

   Low back pain – baseline

0.27

(0.17, 0.37)

  

0.27

(0.17, 0.37)

Doctor-Patient encounter – 6 weeks (R2 = 0.02)

   Expectations – baseline

0.15

(0.04, 0.26)

  

0.15

(0.04, 0.26)

   Low back pain- baseline

−0.03

(−0.14, 0.08)

0.04

(0.01, 0.07)

0.01

(−0.09, 0.11)

   Dose

0.05

(−0.05, 0.16)

  

0.05

(−0.05, 0.16)

Low back pain – 6 weeks (R2 = 0.26)

   Expectations – baseline

−0.01

(−0.11, 0.08)

−0.03

(−0.06, -0.01)

−0.05

(−0.14, 0.05)

   Doctor-Patient encounter – 6 weeks

−0.22

(−0.31, -0.13)

  

−0.22

(−0.31, -0.13)

   Low back pain- baseline

0.45

(0.36, 0.54)

−0.01

(−0.04, 0.03)

0.44

(0.35, 0.54)

   Dose

−0.10

(−0.19, -0.01)

−0.01

(−0.04, 0.01)

−0.11

(−0.21, −0.02)

Expectations – 6 weeks (R2 = 0.40)

   Expectations – baseline

0.15

(0.06, 0.25)

0.05

(−0.01, 0.12)

0.21

(0.09, 0.32)

   Doctor-Patient encounter – 6 weeks

0.20

(0.11, 0.30)

0.12

(0.07, −0.17)

0.32

(0.21, 0.43)

   Low back pain – 6 weeks

−0.54

(−0.63, −0.45)

  

−0.54

(−0.63, −0.45)

   Low back pain – baseline

0.20

(0.11, 0.30)

−0.20

(−0.28, −0.11)

0.01

(−0.09, 0.11)

   Dose

0.15

(0.07, 0.23)

0.07

(0.01, 0.13)

0.22

(0.13, 0.32)

Doctor-Patient encounter – 12 weeks (R2 = 0.37)

   Expectations – baseline

  

0.11

(0.04, 0.18)

0.11

(0.04, 0.18)

   Doctor-Patient encounter – 6 weeks

0.55

(0.45, 0.65)

0.05

(0.04, 0.18)

0.59

(0.49, 0.69)

   Low back pain – 6 weeks

−0.01

(−0.13, 0.10)

−0.07

(−0.08, −0.06)

−0.09

(−0.20, 0.03)

   Expectations – 6 weeks

0.13

(0.01, 0.25)

  

0.13

(0.01, 0.25)

   Low back pain- baseline

  

0.00

(−0.08, 0.08)

0.00

(−0.08, 0.08)

   Dose

−0.07

(−0.15, 0.02)

0.06

(0.00, 0.13)

−0.01

(−0.11, 0.09)

Low back pain – 12 weeks (R2 = 0.54)

   Expectations – baseline

  

−0.05

(−0.12, 0.02)

−0.05

(−0.12, 0.02

   Doctor-Patient Encounter – 6 weeks

0.06

(−0.03, 0.14)

−0.20

(−0.26, −0.14)

−0.15

(−0.25, -0.04)

   Low back pain – 6 weeks

0.59

(0.49, 0.69)

0.07

(0.06, 0.08)

0.66

(0.55, 0.76)

   Expectations – 6 weeks

−0.12

(−0.21, -0.03)

−0.01

(−0.02, −0.00)

−0.13

(−0.22, −0.04)

   Doctor-Patient encounter – 12 weeks

−0.06

(−0.15, 0.03)

  

−0.06

(−0.15, 0.03)

   Low back pain- baseline

0.15

(0.06, 0.24)

0.26

(0.19, 0.33)

0.41

(0.31, 0.51)

   Dose

−0.03

(−0.10, 0.03

−0.09

(−0.15,−0.02)

−0.12

(−0.21, -0.03)

Expectations – 12 weeks (R2 = 0.58)

   Expectations – baseline

0.03

(−0.05, 0.10)

0.15

(0.07, 0.23)

0.18

(0.05, 0.30)

   Doctor-Patient encounter – 6 weeks

−0.04

(−0.13, 0.06)

0.30

(0.22, 0.38)

0.26

(0.13, 0.40)

   Low back pain – 6 weeks

0.04

(−0.08, 0.16)

−0.49

(−0.56, -0.43)

−0.45

(−0.58, −0.32)

   Expectations – 6 weeks

0.63

(0.53, 0.73)

0.04

(0.02, 0.07)

0.68

(0.57, 0.78)

   Doctor-Patient encounter – 12 weeks

0.13

(0.05, 0.21)

0.01

(−0.01, 0.03)

0.14

(0.06, 0.23)

   Low back pain – 12 weeks

−0.22

(−0.32, −0.12)

  

−0.22

(−0.32, −0.12)

   Low back pain- baseline

  

−0.06

(−0.14, 0.03)

−0.06

(−0.14, 0.03)

   Dose

  

0.16

(0.08, 0.23)

0.16

(0.08, 0.23)

  1. *Standardized coefficients (β) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) are presented for direct effects (path coefficients connecting two variables in Figure 2), indirect effects (computed from all multi-arrow paths connecting two variables), and total effects (sum of direct and indirect effects). Bolded coefficients are statistically significant (p < .05).
  2. R2 shows the proportion of the total variation of each dependent variable that is explained by the model. R2 = 0.36 for the entire model.