Premium
Use of robust variance components models to analyse triglyceride data in families
Author(s) -
BEATY T. H.,
SELF S. G.,
LIANG K. Y.,
CONNOLLY M. A.,
CHASE G. A.,
KWITEROVICH P. O.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
annals of human genetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.537
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1469-1809
pISSN - 0003-4800
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-1809.1985.tb01707.x
Subject(s) - variance components , variance (accounting) , triglyceride , statistics , econometrics , mathematics , computer science , biology , economics , cholesterol , endocrinology , accounting
Summary A robust approach for analysis of variance components models is presented which does not rely on the assumption of multivariate normality for its validity. This approach uses the multivariate normal distribution as a ‘working model’ but obtains standard errors for the final estimators which do not depend on this underlying distribution. By using the observed variance in the first derivatives of the multivariate normal ‘working model’ to modify the conventional score test, hypotheses regarding specific components can also be tested without relying directly on the assumption of multivariate normality. A special case is presented where both the modified score test and the likelihood ratio test are equally robust, and simulated data are used to illustrate this situation. Measurements of triglyceride levels in 391 individuals in 60 families randomly selected from the membership of a health maintenance organization are used to illustrate this robust approach to variance components.