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Efficient Covariate Balancing for the Local Average Treatment Effect

Phillip Heiler

arXiv 8 Jul 2020 · Econometrics · publishedJournal of Business and Economic Statistics (2021) · 16 citations (OpenAlex)

arXiv:2007.04346 · PDF · DOI · OpenAlex · Extracted main text

Abstract

This paper develops an empirical balancing approach for the estimation of treatment effects under two-sided noncompliance using a binary conditionally independent instrumental variable. The method weighs both treatment and outcome information with inverse probabilities to produce exact finite sample balance across instrument level groups. It is free of functional form assumptions on the outcome or the treatment selection step. By tailoring the loss function for the instrument propensity scores, the resulting treatment effect estimates exhibit both low bias and a reduced variance in finite samples compared to conventional inverse probability weighting methods. The estimator is automatically weight normalized and has similar bias properties compared to conventional two-stage least squares estimation under constant causal effects for the compliers. We provide conditions for asymptotic normality and semiparametric efficiency and demonstrate how to utilize additional information about the treatment selection step for bias reduction in finite samples. The method can be easily combined with regularization or other statistical learning approaches to deal with a high-dimensional number of observed confounding variables. Monte Carlo simulations suggest that the theoretical advantages translate well to finite samples. The method is illustrated in an empirical example.

Citation extraction

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Most heavily cited references

The works this paper leans on most, across its whole bibliography — not restricted to papers in our corpus. Ranked by composite intensity, which combines how often a work is mentioned, how many sections mention it, and how much of that falls in the main text rather than the appendix.

ReferenceIntensityMentionsSectionsMain text
1Abadie, A (2003) Semiparametric Instrumental Variable Estimation of Treatment Response Models1.00093100%
2Imai, K. and Ratkovic, M (2014) Covariate Balancing Propensity Score1.00074100%
3Zhao, Q (2019) Covariate Balancing Propensity Score by Tailored Loss Functions0.97112692%
4Frölich, M (2007) Nonparametric IV Estimation of Local Average Treatment Effects with Covariates0.9619489%
5Donald, S. G., Hsu, Y.-C., and Lieli, R. P (2014) Testing the Unconfoundedness Assumption via Inverse Probability Weighted Estimators of (L)ATT0.92810480%
6Donald, S. G., Hsu, Y.-C., and Lieli, R. P (2014) Inverse Probability Weighted Estimation of Local Average Treatment Effects: A Higher Order MSE Expansion0.92843100%
7Hirano, K., Imbens, G. W., and Ridder, G (2003) Efficient Estimation of Average Treatment Effects Using the Estimated Propensity Score0.8558362%
8Rubin, D. B (2007) The Design versus the Analysis of Observational Studies for Causal Effects: Parallels with the Design of Randomized Trials0.84333100%
9Athey, S., Imbens, G. W., and Wager, S (2018) Approximate Residual Balancing: Debiased Inference of Average Treatment Effects in High Dimensions0.64422100%
10Heiler, P. and Kazak, E. (forthcoming (2020) Valid Inference for Treatment Effect Parameters under Irregular Identification and Many Extreme Propensity Scores self0.64422100%

Showing the top 10 of 47 scored citations.

Cited by, within the corpus

arXiv econ.EM papers that cite this one, ranked by how heavily they lean on it.

Citing paperIntensityMentionsSections
1Abadie's Kappa and Weighting Estimators of the Local Average Treatment Effect0.981184
22208.013000.64422
3A Practical Guide to Instrumental Variables Methods with Heterogeneous Treatment Effects0.64422
4Improving Estimation Efficiency via Regression-Adjustment in Covariate-Adaptive Randomizations with Imperfect Compliance0.40511
5Heterogeneous Treatment Effect Bounds under Sample Selection with an Application to the Effects of Social Media on Political Polarization0.40511
6Covariate Balancing and the Equivalence of Weighting and Doubly Robust Estimators of Average Treatment Effects0.40511
7Treatment Evaluation at the Intensive and Extensive Margins0.40511
8Sharp Bounds and Inference in Sample Selection Models with Treatment Endogeneity0.00022