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CovSel: An R Package for Covariate Selection When Estimating Average Causal Effects

Author

Listed:
  • Häggström, Jenny
  • Persson, Emma
  • Waernbaum, Ingeborg
  • de Luna, Xavier

Abstract

We describe the R package CovSel, which reduces the dimension of the covariate vector for the purpose of estimating an average causal effect under the unconfoundedness assumption. Covariate selection algorithms developed in De Luna, Waernbaum, and Richardson (2011) are implemented using model-free backward elimination. We show how to use the package to select minimal sets of covariates. The package can be used with continuous and discrete covariates and the user can choose between marginal co-ordinate hypothesis tests and kernel-based smoothing as model-free dimension reduction techniques.

Suggested Citation

  • Häggström, Jenny & Persson, Emma & Waernbaum, Ingeborg & de Luna, Xavier, 2015. "CovSel: An R Package for Covariate Selection When Estimating Average Causal Effects," Journal of Statistical Software, Foundation for Open Access Statistics, vol. 68(i01).
    • Handle: RePEc:jss:jstsof:v:068:i01
    DOI: http://hdl.handle.net/10.18637/jss.v068.i01
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jinyong Hahn, 2004. "Functional Restriction and Efficiency in Causal Inference," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 86(1), pages 73-76, February.
    2. A. Smith, Jeffrey & E. Todd, Petra, 2005. "Does matching overcome LaLonde's critique of nonexperimental estimators?," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 125(1-2), pages 305-353.
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    9. Xavier De Luna & Ingeborg Waernbaum & Thomas S. Richardson, 2011. "Covariate selection for the nonparametric estimation of an average treatment effect," Biometrika, Biometrika Trust, vol. 98(4), pages 861-875.
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    Cited by:

    1. Persson, Emma & Häggström, Jenny & Waernbaum, Ingeborg & de Luna, Xavier, 2017. "Data-driven algorithms for dimension reduction in causal inference," Computational Statistics & Data Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 280-292.
    2. Uehleke, Reinhard & Petrick, Martin & Hüttel, Silke, 2022. "Evaluations of agri-environmental schemes based on observational farm data: The importance of covariate selection," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    3. Bryan Keller, 2020. "Variable Selection for Causal Effect Estimation: Nonparametric Conditional Independence Testing With Random Forests," Journal of Educational and Behavioral Statistics, , vol. 45(2), pages 119-142, April.

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