Design-based theory for cluster rerandomization

DOI10.1093/BIOMET/ASAC045MaRDI QIDQ6045155zbMATH OpenFDO

Authors

Publication date 26 May 2023

Published in Biometrika (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/2207.02540

zbMATH Keywords

cluster randomizationcluster-robust standard errorconstrained randomizationcovariate balance

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Statistics (62-XX)

Abstract: Complete randomization balances covariates on average, but covariate imbalance often exists in finite samples. Rerandomization can ensure covariate balance in the realized experiment by discarding the undesired treatment assignments. Many field experiments in public health and social sciences assign the treatment at the cluster level due to logistical constraints or policy considerations. Moreover, they are frequently combined with rerandomization in the design stage. We refer to cluster rerandomization as a cluster-randomized experiment compounded with rerandomization to balance covariates at the individual or cluster level. Existing asymptotic theory can only deal with rerandomization with treatments assigned at the individual level, leaving that for cluster rerandomization an open problem. To fill the gap, we provide a design-based theory for cluster rerandomization. Moreover, we compare two cluster rerandomization schemes that use prior information on the importance of the covariates: one based on the weighted Euclidean distance and the other based on the Mahalanobis distance with tiers of covariates. We demonstrate that the former dominates the latter with optimal weights and orthogonalized covariates. Last but not least, we discuss the role of covariate adjustment in the analysis stage and recommend covariate-adjusted procedures that can be conveniently implemented by least squares with the associated robust standard errors.

Cited in

(7)

• Rerandomization and optimal matching
• Model-Robust and Efficient Covariate Adjustment for Cluster-Randomized Experiments
• A Bayesian Criterion for Rerandomization
• Two-phase rejective sampling and its asymptotic properties
• Asymptotic theory of the best-choice rerandomization using the Mahalanobis distance
• Tyranny-of-the-Minority Regression Adjustment in Randomized Experiments
• Rerandomization and Covariate Adjustment in Split-Plot Designs

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