A Simpson Based Estimation Approach for the Overlapping Coefficient of k>=2 Normal Distributions

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Auteurs principaux: Eidous, Omar, Alsheyyab, Majd
Format: Preprint
Publié: 2026
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author Eidous, Omar
Alsheyyab, Majd
author_facet Eidous, Omar
Alsheyyab, Majd
contents The overlapping coefficient is a fundamental measure of similarity between probability distributions. While the case of two distributions has been extensively studied, extending this measure to multiple populations presents both analytical and computational challenges. In this paper, we propose a general estimation framework for the overlapping coefficient of k>=2 normal distributions. The method employs Simpsons numerical integration rule combined with plug-in maximum likelihood estimators of the normal parameters. The resulting estimator is shown to be consistent under standard regularity conditions. A Monte Carlo simulation study is conducted across various overlap scenarios and sample sizes. The results demonstrate that the proposed Simpson based estimator performs competitively for all overlap levels, with notable advantages in low overlap situations. This methodology offers a flexible and computationally efficient approach applicable to an arbitrary number of normal populations.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2603_02282
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle A Simpson Based Estimation Approach for the Overlapping Coefficient of k>=2 Normal Distributions
Eidous, Omar
Alsheyyab, Majd
Methodology
62F12
G.3
The overlapping coefficient is a fundamental measure of similarity between probability distributions. While the case of two distributions has been extensively studied, extending this measure to multiple populations presents both analytical and computational challenges. In this paper, we propose a general estimation framework for the overlapping coefficient of k>=2 normal distributions. The method employs Simpsons numerical integration rule combined with plug-in maximum likelihood estimators of the normal parameters. The resulting estimator is shown to be consistent under standard regularity conditions. A Monte Carlo simulation study is conducted across various overlap scenarios and sample sizes. The results demonstrate that the proposed Simpson based estimator performs competitively for all overlap levels, with notable advantages in low overlap situations. This methodology offers a flexible and computationally efficient approach applicable to an arbitrary number of normal populations.
title A Simpson Based Estimation Approach for the Overlapping Coefficient of k>=2 Normal Distributions
topic Methodology
62F12
G.3
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.02282