IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/arx/papers/2603.24970.html

Randomization Inference For the Always-Reporter Average Treatment Effect

Author

Listed:
  • Haoge Chang
  • Zeyang Yu

Abstract

This article studies randomization inference for treatment effects in randomized controlled trials with attrition, where outcomes are observed for only a subset of units. We assume monotonicity in reporting behavior as in \cite{lee2009training} and focus on the average treatment effect for always-reporters (AR-ATE), defined as units whose outcomes are observed under both treatment and control. Because always-reporter status is only partially revealed by observed assignment and response patterns, we propose a worst-case randomization test that maximizes the randomization p-value over all always-reporter configurations consistent with the data, with an optional pretest to prune implausible configurations. Using studentized Hajek- and chi-square-type statistics, we show the resulting procedure is finite-sample valid for the sharp null and asymptotically valid for the weak null. We also discuss computational implementations for discrete outcomes and integer-programming-based bounds for continuous outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Haoge Chang & Zeyang Yu, 2026. "Randomization Inference For the Always-Reporter Average Treatment Effect," Papers 2603.24970, arXiv.org, revised Mar 2026.
  • Handle: RePEc:arx:papers:2603.24970
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://arxiv.org/pdf/2603.24970
    File Function: Latest version
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Semenova, Vira, 2025. "Generalized Lee bounds," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 251(C).
    2. Guido W. Imbens & Charles F. Manski, 2004. "Confidence Intervals for Partially Identified Parameters," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 72(6), pages 1845-1857, November.
    3. Ivan A. Canay & Joseph P. Romano & Azeem M. Shaikh, 2017. "Randomization Tests Under an Approximate Symmetry Assumption," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 85, pages 1013-1030, May.
    4. Constantine E. Frangakis & Donald B. Rubin, 2002. "Principal Stratification in Causal Inference," Biometrics, The International Biometric Society, vol. 58(1), pages 21-29, March.
    5. Purevdorj Tuvaandorj, 2021. "Robust Permutation Tests in Linear Instrumental Variables Regression," Papers 2111.13774, arXiv.org, revised Jul 2024.
    6. Jorg Stoye, 2009. "More on Confidence Intervals for Partially Identified Parameters," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 77(4), pages 1299-1315, July.
    7. David S. Lee, 2009. "Training, Wages, and Sample Selection: Estimating Sharp Bounds on Treatment Effects," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 76(3), pages 1071-1102.
    8. Imbens,Guido W. & Rubin,Donald B., 2015. "Causal Inference for Statistics, Social, and Biomedical Sciences," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521885881, Enero-Abr.
    9. Peter L. Cohen & Colin B. Fogarty, 2022. "Gaussian prepivoting for finite population causal inference," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series B, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 84(2), pages 295-320, April.
    10. Janssen, Arnold, 1997. "Studentized permutation tests for non-i.i.d. hypotheses and the generalized Behrens-Fisher problem," Statistics & Probability Letters, Elsevier, vol. 36(1), pages 9-21, November.
    11. Vira Semenova, 2020. "Generalized Lee Bounds," Papers 2008.12720, arXiv.org, revised May 2025.
    12. Zhao, Anqi & Ding, Peng, 2021. "Covariate-adjusted Fisher randomization tests for the average treatment effect," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 225(2), pages 278-294.
    13. Jason Wu & Peng Ding, 2021. "Randomization Tests for Weak Null Hypotheses in Randomized Experiments," Journal of the American Statistical Association, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 116(536), pages 1898-1913, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ke Zhu & Hanzhong Liu, 2023. "Pair‐switching rerandomization," Biometrics, The International Biometric Society, vol. 79(3), pages 2127-2142, September.
    2. David M. Ritzwoller & Joseph P. Romano & Azeem M. Shaikh, 2024. "Randomization Inference: Theory and Applications," Papers 2406.09521, arXiv.org, revised Feb 2025.
    3. Wenlong Ji & Lihua Lei & Asher Spector, 2023. "Model-Agnostic Covariate-Assisted Inference on Partially Identified Causal Effects," Papers 2310.08115, arXiv.org, revised Nov 2024.
    4. Vira Semenova, 2020. "Generalized Lee Bounds," Papers 2008.12720, arXiv.org, revised May 2025.
    5. Heiler, Phillip, 2024. "Heterogeneous treatment effect bounds under sample selection with an application to the effects of social media on political polarization," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 244(1).
    6. Jizhou Liu & Azeem M. Shaikh & Panos Toulis, 2025. "Randomization Inference in Two-Sided Market Experiments," Papers 2504.06215, arXiv.org, revised Mar 2026.
    7. Molinari, Francesca, 2020. "Microeconometrics with partial identification," Handbook of Econometrics, in: Steven N. Durlauf & Lars Peter Hansen & James J. Heckman & Rosa L. Matzkin (ed.), Handbook of Econometrics, edition 1, volume 7, chapter 0, pages 355-486, Elsevier.
    8. Wang, Xintong & Flores, Carlos A. & Flores-Lagunes, Alfonso, 2025. "The effects of Vietnam-era military service on the long-term health of veterans: A bounds analysis," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    9. Kate Ho & Adam M. Rosen, 2015. "Partial Identification in Applied Research: Benefits and Challenges," NBER Working Papers 21641, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    10. Dustin M. Long & Michael G. Hudgens, 2013. "Sharpening Bounds on Principal Effects with Covariates," Biometrics, The International Biometric Society, vol. 69(4), pages 812-819, December.
    11. François Gerard & Miikka Rokkanen & Christoph Rothe, 2020. "Bounds on treatment effects in regression discontinuity designs with a manipulated running variable," Quantitative Economics, Econometric Society, vol. 11(3), pages 839-870, July.
    12. Jizhou Liu & Liang Zhong, 2026. "Randomization Tests in Switchback Experiments," Papers 2602.23257, arXiv.org.
    13. Michael Lechner & Blaise Melly, 2010. "Partial Idendification of Wage Effects of Training Programs," Working Papers 2010-8, Brown University, Department of Economics.
    14. Gerard, François & Rothe, Christoph & Rokkanen, Miikka, 2016. "Bounds on Treatment Effects in Regression Discontinuity Designs under Manipulation of the Running Variable, with an Application," CEPR Discussion Papers 11668, Centre for Economic Policy Research.
    15. Sokbae Lee & Martin Weidner, 2021. "Bounding Treatment Effects by Pooling Limited Information across Observations," Papers 2111.05243, arXiv.org, revised May 2026.
    16. Shanshan Luo & Wei Li & Yangbo He, 2023. "Causal inference with outcomes truncated by death in multiarm studies," Biometrics, The International Biometric Society, vol. 79(1), pages 502-513, March.
    17. Victor Chernozhukov & Carlos Cinelli & Whitney Newey & Amit Sharma & Vasilis Syrgkanis, 2021. "Long Story Short: Omitted Variable Bias in Causal Machine Learning," Papers 2112.13398, arXiv.org, revised May 2024.
    18. John Engberg & Dennis Epple & Jason Imbrogno & Holger Sieg & Ron Zimmer, 2014. "Evaluating Education Programs That Have Lotteried Admission and Selective Attrition," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 32(1), pages 27-63.
    19. Delius, Antonia & Sterck, Olivier, 2024. "Cash transfers and micro-enterprise performance: Theory and quasi-experimental evidence from Kenya," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    20. Gerard, Francois & Rokkanen, Miikka & Rothe, Christoph, 2015. "Identification and Inference in Regression Discontinuity Designs with a Manipulated Running Variable," IZA Discussion Papers 9604, IZA Network @ LISER.

    More about this item

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:arx:papers:2603.24970. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: arXiv administrators (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://arxiv.org/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.