EconBase
← All papers

The finite sample performance of instrumental variable-based estimators of the Local Average Treatment Effect when controlling for covariates

Hugo Bodory, Martin Huber, Michael Lechner

arXiv 14 Dec 2022 · Econometrics · publishedComputational Economics (2023)

arXiv:2212.07379 · PDF · DOI · OpenAlex · Extracted main text

Abstract

This paper investigates the finite sample performance of a range of parametric, semi-parametric, and non-parametric instrumental variable estimators when controlling for a fixed set of covariates to evaluate the local average treatment effect. Our simulation designs are based on empirical labor market data from the US and vary in several dimensions, including effect heterogeneity, instrument selectivity, instrument strength, outcome distribution, and sample size. Among the estimators and simulations considered, non-parametric estimation based on the random forest (a machine learner controlling for covariates in a data-driven way) performs competitive in terms of the average coverage rates of the (bootstrap-based) 95% confidence intervals, while also being relatively precise. Non-parametric kernel regression as well as certain versions of semi-parametric radius matching on the propensity score, pair matching on the covariates, and inverse probability weighting also have a decent coverage, but are less precise than the random forest-based method. In terms of the average root mean squared error of LATE estimation, kernel regression performs best, closely followed by the random forest method, which has the lowest average absolute bias.

Citation extraction

49
references
81
in-text mentions
49
distinct cited
2
self-citations
9,899
main-text words

appendix boundary found by appendix_command · 55% of the source is main text. Read the extracted text to check this.

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
1Huber, Lechner, and Wunsch (2013) The performance of estimators based on the propensity score1.00073100%
2Angrist and Evans (1998) Children and their parents labor supply: Evidence from exogeneous variation in family size0.84333100%
3Bodory, Camponovo, Huber, and Lechner (2020) The Finite Sample Performance of Inference Methods for Propensity Score Matching and Weighting Estimators0.81142100%
4Frölich (2007) Nonparametric IV estimation of local average treatment effects with covariates0.73732100%
5Imbens and Wooldridge (2009) Recent Developments in the Econometrics of Program Evaluation0.73732100%
6Lechner, Miquel, and Wunsch (2011) Long-run Effects of Public Sector Sponsored Training in West Germany self0.73732100%
7Abadie (2003) Semiparametric instrumental Variable estimation of treatment response models0.64422100%
8Angrist, Imbens, and Rubin (1996) Identification of Causal Effects using Instrumental Variables0.64422100%
9Frölich, Huber, and Wiesenfarth (2017) The finite sample performance of semi- and nonparametric estimators for treatment effects and policy evaluation0.64422100%
10Imbens and Angrist (1994) Identification and Estimation of Local Average Treatment Effects0.64422100%

Showing the top 10 of 49 scored citations.