Size and power of tests for a zero random effect variance or polynomial regression in additive and linear mixed models

Abstract

Several tests for a zero random effect variance in linear mixed models are compared. This testing problem is non-regular because the tested parameter is on the boundary of the parameter space. Size and power of the different tests are investigated in an extensive simulation study that covers a variety of important settings. These include testing for polynomial regression versus a general smooth alternative using penalized splines. Among the test procedures considered, three are based on the restricted likelihood ratio test statistic ( RLRT), while six are different extensions of the linear model F -test to the linear mixed model. Four of the tests with unknown null distributions are based on a parametric bootstrap, the other tests rely on approximate or asymptotic distributions. The parametric bootstrap-based tests all have a similar performance. Tests based on approximate F -distributions are usually the least powerful among the tests under consideration. The chi-square mixture approximation for the RLRT is confirmed to be conservative, with corresponding loss in power. A recently developed approximation to the distribution of the RLRT is identified as a rapid, powerful and reliable alternative to computationally intensive parametric bootstrap procedures. This novel method extends the exact distribution available for models with one random effect to models with several random effects.