Estimation of heterogeneous principal effects under principal ignorability

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Zhang, Rui, Doss, Charles R., Huling, Jared D.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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author Zhang, Rui
Doss, Charles R.
Huling, Jared D.
author_facet Zhang, Rui
Doss, Charles R.
Huling, Jared D.
contents We study estimation and inference for heterogeneous principal causal effects with binary treatments and binary intermediate variables. Principal causal effects are subgroup effects within strata defined by potential values of an intermediate variable, including effects among compliers. We propose a framework for estimating and forming pointwise confidence intervals for heterogeneous principal causal effects under the principal ignorability assumption. Several estimators are developed, and their robustness properties are characterized: one estimator is doubly robust, whereas the other two attain intermediate robustness between double and triple robustness; in contrast, principal causal effects can be estimated in a triply robust manner only. We establish large-sample theory under nonparametric smoothness conditions and analyze the bias contributions of each approach, providing insight into performance beyond the smooth setting, including in high-dimensional regimes. Camden Coalition hotspotting randomized trial are used to illustrate the methods by estimating heterogeneous complier effects.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2603_08963
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Estimation of heterogeneous principal effects under principal ignorability
Zhang, Rui
Doss, Charles R.
Huling, Jared D.
Methodology
Machine Learning
We study estimation and inference for heterogeneous principal causal effects with binary treatments and binary intermediate variables. Principal causal effects are subgroup effects within strata defined by potential values of an intermediate variable, including effects among compliers. We propose a framework for estimating and forming pointwise confidence intervals for heterogeneous principal causal effects under the principal ignorability assumption. Several estimators are developed, and their robustness properties are characterized: one estimator is doubly robust, whereas the other two attain intermediate robustness between double and triple robustness; in contrast, principal causal effects can be estimated in a triply robust manner only. We establish large-sample theory under nonparametric smoothness conditions and analyze the bias contributions of each approach, providing insight into performance beyond the smooth setting, including in high-dimensional regimes. Camden Coalition hotspotting randomized trial are used to illustrate the methods by estimating heterogeneous complier effects.
title Estimation of heterogeneous principal effects under principal ignorability
topic Methodology
Machine Learning
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.08963