## Semiparametric EM-estimation of censored linear regression models for durations

### by Alfred Hamerle and Michael Moller .

Abstract: This paper investigates the sensitivity of maximum quasi likelihood estimators of the covariate effects in duration models in the presence of misspecification due to neglected heterogeneity or misspecification of the hazard function. We consider linear models for $r\left(T\right)$ where $T$ is duration and $r$ is a known, strictly increasing function. This class of models is also referred to as location-scale models. In the absence of censoring, Gould and Lawless (1988) have shown that maximum likelihood estimators of the regression parameters are consistent and asymptotically normally distributed under the assumption that the location-scale structure of the model is of the correct form. In the presence of censoring, however, model misspecification leads to inconsistent estimates of the regression coefficients for most of the censoring mechanisms that are widely used in practice. We propose a semiparametric EM-estimator, following ideas of Ritov (1990), and Buckley and James (1979). This estimator is robust against misspecification and is highly recommended if there is heavy censoring and if there may be specification errors. We present the results of simulation experiments illustrating the performance of the proposed estimator.

Key Words: Censored linear regression models, Accelerated failure time models, misspecified models semiparametric EM-estimation, simulation study

Authors:
>Alfred Hamerle, martin.spiess@wiwi.uni-regensburg.de
Michael Moller

Editor: Jugal K. Ghorai , jugal@csd.uwm.edu

READING THE ARTICLE: You can read the article in portable document (.pdf) format (151239 bytes.)

NOTE: The content of this article is the intellectual property of the authors, who retains all rights to future publication.

This page has been accessed 2445 times since April 1, 2007.

Return to the Home Page.