Generalized estimating equations: A pragmatic and flexible approach to the marginal GLM modelling of correlated data in the behavioural sciences

0484851 - ÚI 2019 RIV DE eng J - Článek v odborném periodiku
Pekár, S. - Brabec, Marek
Generalized estimating equations: A pragmatic and flexible approach to the marginal GLM modelling of correlated data in the behavioural sciences.
Ethology. Roč. 124, č. 2 (2018), s. 86-93. ISSN 0179-1613. E-ISSN 1439-0310
Institucionální podpora: RVO:67985807
Klíčová slova: correlated data * generalized estimating equations * marginal model * regression models * statistical analysis
Obor OECD: Statistics and probability
Impakt faktor: 1.525, rok: 2018

Within behavioural research, non-normally distributed data with a complicated structure are common. For instance, data can represent repeated observations of quantities on the same individual. The regression analysis of such data is complicated both by the interdependency of the observations (response variables) and by their non-normal distribution. Over the last decade, such data have been more and more frequently analysed using generalized mixed-effect models. Some researchers invoke the heavy machinery of mixed-effect modelling to obtain the desired population-level (marginal) inference, which can be achieved by using simpler tools - namely by marginal models. This paper highlights marginal modelling (using generalized estimating equations [GEE]) as an alternative method. In various situations, GEE can be based on fewer assumptions and directly generate estimates (population-level parameters) which are of immediate interest to the behavioural researcher (such as population means). Using four examples from behavioural research, we demonstrate the use, advantages, and limits of the GEE approach as implemented within the functions of the ‘geepack’ package in R.
Trvalý link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0279975