Highly Efficient Estimators with High Breakdown Point for Linear Models with Structured Covariance Matrices

A unified approach is provided for a method of estimation of the regression parameter in balanced linear models with a structured covariance matrix that combines a high breakdown point with high asymptotic efficiency at models with multivariate normal errors. Of main interest are linear mixed effects models, but our approach also includes several other standard multivariate models, such as multiple regression, multivariate regression, and multivariate location and scatter. Sufficient conditions are provided for the existence of the estimators and corresponding functionals, strong consistency and asymptotic normality is established, and robustness properties are derived in terms of breakdown point and influence function. All the results are obtained for general identifiable covariance structures and are established under mild conditions on the distribution of the observations, which goes far beyond models with elliptically contoured densities. Some results are new and others are more general than existing ones in the literature. In this way, results on high breakdown estimation with high efficiency in a wide variety of multivariate models are completed and improved.