Using Quantile Regression to Estimate Intervention Effects Beyond the Mean. (October 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Konstantopoulos, Spyros; Li, Wei; Miller, Shazia; van der Ploeg, Arie
• Is Part Of: Educational and psychological measurement. Volume 79:Number 5(2019)
• Page Start: 883
• Page End: 910
• Publication Date: 2019-10
• Subjects: quantile regression -- instrumental variables -- interim assessments -- achievement gap -- field experiment -- OLS regression; Educational tests and measurements -- Periodicals; Psychological tests -- Periodicals; 151.205
• DOI: 10.1177/0013164419837321
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0013-1644

Abstract

This study discusses quantile regression methodology and its usefulness in education and social science research. First, quantile regression is defined and its advantages vis-à-vis vis ordinary least squares regression are illustrated. Second, specific comparisons are made between ordinary least squares and quantile regression methods. Third, the applicability of quantile regression to empirical work to estimate intervention effects is demonstrated using education data from a large-scale experiment. The estimation of quantile treatment effects at various quantiles in the presence of dropouts is also discussed. Quantile regression is especially suitable in examining predictor effects at various locations of the outcome distribution (e.g., lower and upper tails).