A skew factor analysis model based on the normal mean–variance mixture of Birnbaum–Saunders distribution

Abstract

This paper presents a robust extension of factor analysis model by assuming the multivariate normal mean–variance mixture of Birnbaum–Saunders distribution for the unobservable factors and errors. A computationally analytical EM-based algorithm is developed to find maximum likelihood estimates of the parameters. The asymptotic standard errors of parameter estimates are derived under an information-based paradigm. Numerical merits of the proposed methodology are illustrated using both simulated and real datasets.