Hierarchical Temporal Point Process Modeling of Aggressive Behavior Onset in Psychiatric Inpatient Youth with Autism for Branching Factor Estimation

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Potter, Michael, Everett, Michael, Erdogmus, Deniz, Watanabe, Yuna, Imbiriba, Tales, Goodwin, Matthew S.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Potter, Michael
Everett, Michael
Erdogmus, Deniz
Watanabe, Yuna
Imbiriba, Tales
Goodwin, Matthew S.
author_facet Potter, Michael
Everett, Michael
Erdogmus, Deniz
Watanabe, Yuna
Imbiriba, Tales
Goodwin, Matthew S.
contents Aggressive behavior in autistic inpatient youth often arises in temporally clustered bursts complicating efforts to distinguish external triggers from internal escalation. The sample population branching factor-the expected number of new onsets triggered by a given event-is a key summary of self-excitation in behavior dynamics. Prior pooled models overestimate this quantity by ignoring patient-specific variability. We addressed this using a hierarchical Hawkes process with an exponential kernel and edge-effect correction allowing partial pooling across patients. This approach reduces bias from high-frequency individuals and stabilizes estimates for those with sparse data. Bayesian inference was performed using the No U-Turn Sampler with model evaluation via convergence diagnostics, power-scaling sensitivity analysis, and multiple Goodness-of-Fit (GOF) metrics: PSIS-LOO the Lewis test with Durbin's modification and residual analysis based on the Random Time Change Theorem (RTCT). The hierarchical model yielded a significantly lower and more precise branching factor estimate mean (0.742 +- 0.026) than the pooled model (0.899 +- 0.015) and narrower intervals than the unpooled model (0.717 +- 0.139). This led to a threefold smaller cascade of events per onset under the hierarchical model. Sensitivity analyses confirmed robustness to prior and likelihood perturbations while the unpooled model showed instability for sparse individuals. GOF measures consistently favored or on par to the hierarchical model. Hierarchical Hawkes modeling with edge-effect correction provides robust estimation of branching dynamics by capturing both within- and between-patient variability. This enables clearer separation of endogenous from exogenous events supports linkage to physiological signals and enhances early warning systems individualized treatment and resource allocation in inpatient care.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2507_12424
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Hierarchical Temporal Point Process Modeling of Aggressive Behavior Onset in Psychiatric Inpatient Youth with Autism for Branching Factor Estimation
Potter, Michael
Everett, Michael
Erdogmus, Deniz
Watanabe, Yuna
Imbiriba, Tales
Goodwin, Matthew S.
Applications
Probability
Other Statistics
Aggressive behavior in autistic inpatient youth often arises in temporally clustered bursts complicating efforts to distinguish external triggers from internal escalation. The sample population branching factor-the expected number of new onsets triggered by a given event-is a key summary of self-excitation in behavior dynamics. Prior pooled models overestimate this quantity by ignoring patient-specific variability. We addressed this using a hierarchical Hawkes process with an exponential kernel and edge-effect correction allowing partial pooling across patients. This approach reduces bias from high-frequency individuals and stabilizes estimates for those with sparse data. Bayesian inference was performed using the No U-Turn Sampler with model evaluation via convergence diagnostics, power-scaling sensitivity analysis, and multiple Goodness-of-Fit (GOF) metrics: PSIS-LOO the Lewis test with Durbin's modification and residual analysis based on the Random Time Change Theorem (RTCT). The hierarchical model yielded a significantly lower and more precise branching factor estimate mean (0.742 +- 0.026) than the pooled model (0.899 +- 0.015) and narrower intervals than the unpooled model (0.717 +- 0.139). This led to a threefold smaller cascade of events per onset under the hierarchical model. Sensitivity analyses confirmed robustness to prior and likelihood perturbations while the unpooled model showed instability for sparse individuals. GOF measures consistently favored or on par to the hierarchical model. Hierarchical Hawkes modeling with edge-effect correction provides robust estimation of branching dynamics by capturing both within- and between-patient variability. This enables clearer separation of endogenous from exogenous events supports linkage to physiological signals and enhances early warning systems individualized treatment and resource allocation in inpatient care.
title Hierarchical Temporal Point Process Modeling of Aggressive Behavior Onset in Psychiatric Inpatient Youth with Autism for Branching Factor Estimation
topic Applications
Probability
Other Statistics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.12424