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Main Authors: Fathi, Hedayat, Cremona, Marzia A., Severino, Federico
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.17773
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author Fathi, Hedayat
Cremona, Marzia A.
Severino, Federico
author_facet Fathi, Hedayat
Cremona, Marzia A.
Severino, Federico
contents In the framework of scalar-on-function regression models, in which several functional variables are employed to predict a scalar response, we propose a methodology for selecting relevant functional predictors while simultaneously providing accurate smooth (or, more generally, regular) estimates of the functional coefficients. We suppose that the functional predictors belong to a real separable Hilbert space, while the functional coefficients belong to a specific subspace of this Hilbert space. Such a subspace can be a Reproducing Kernel Hilbert Space (RKHS) to ensure the desired regularity characteristics, such as smoothness or periodicity, for the coefficient estimates. Our procedure, called SOFIA (Scalar-On-Function Integrated Adaptive Lasso), is based on an adaptive penalized least squares algorithm that leverages functional subgradients to efficiently solve the minimization problem. We demonstrate that the proposed method satisfies the functional oracle property, even when the number of predictors exceeds the sample size. SOFIA's effectiveness in variable selection and coefficient estimation is evaluated through extensive simulation studies and a real-data application to GDP growth prediction.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2506_17773
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Selection of functional predictors and smooth coefficient estimation for scalar-on-function regression models
Fathi, Hedayat
Cremona, Marzia A.
Severino, Federico
Methodology
In the framework of scalar-on-function regression models, in which several functional variables are employed to predict a scalar response, we propose a methodology for selecting relevant functional predictors while simultaneously providing accurate smooth (or, more generally, regular) estimates of the functional coefficients. We suppose that the functional predictors belong to a real separable Hilbert space, while the functional coefficients belong to a specific subspace of this Hilbert space. Such a subspace can be a Reproducing Kernel Hilbert Space (RKHS) to ensure the desired regularity characteristics, such as smoothness or periodicity, for the coefficient estimates. Our procedure, called SOFIA (Scalar-On-Function Integrated Adaptive Lasso), is based on an adaptive penalized least squares algorithm that leverages functional subgradients to efficiently solve the minimization problem. We demonstrate that the proposed method satisfies the functional oracle property, even when the number of predictors exceeds the sample size. SOFIA's effectiveness in variable selection and coefficient estimation is evaluated through extensive simulation studies and a real-data application to GDP growth prediction.
title Selection of functional predictors and smooth coefficient estimation for scalar-on-function regression models
topic Methodology
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.17773