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Robust estimation of encouragement design intervention effects transported across sites
Author(s) -
Rudolph Kara E.,
Laan Mark J.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of the royal statistical society: series b (statistical methodology)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.523
H-Index - 137
eISSN - 1467-9868
pISSN - 1369-7412
DOI - 10.1111/rssb.12213
Subject(s) - estimator , observational study , randomized experiment , average treatment effect , instrumental variable , psychological intervention , intervention (counseling) , population , econometrics , poverty , sample (material) , sample size determination , research design , statistics , psychology , computer science , mathematics , environmental health , economics , medicine , economic growth , psychiatry , chemistry , chromatography
Summary We develop robust targeted maximum likelihood estimators (TMLEs) for transporting intervention effects from one population to another. Specifically, we develop TMLEs for three transported estimands: the intent‐to‐treat average treatment effect (ATE) and complier ATE, which are relevant for encouragement design interventions and instrumental variable analyses, and the ATE of the exposure on the outcome, which is applicable to any randomized or observational study. We demonstrate finite sample performance of these TMLEs by using simulation, including in the presence of practical violations of the positivity assumption. We then apply these methods to the ‘Moving to opportunity’ trial: a multisite, encouragement design intervention in which families in public housing were randomized to receive housing vouchers and logistical support to move to low poverty neighbourhoods. This application sheds light on whether effect differences across sites can be explained by differences in population composition.