Multiple imputation for missing edge data: A predictive evaluation method with application to Add Health

Citation

Wang, Cheng; Butts, Carter T.; Hipp, John R.; Jose, Rupa; & Lakon, Cynthia M. (2016). Multiple imputation for missing edge data: A predictive evaluation method with application to Add Health. Social Networks. vol. 45 pp. 89-98

Abstract

Recent developments have made model-based imputation of network data feasible in principle, but the extant literature provides few practical examples of its use. In this paper, we consider 14 schools from the widely used In-School Survey of Add Health (Harris et al., 2009), applying an ERGM-based estimation and simulation approach to impute the network missing data for each school. Add Health's complex study design leads to multiple types of missingness, and we introduce practical techniques for handing each. We also develop a cross-validation based method – Held-Out Predictive Evaluation (HOPE) – for assessing this approach. Our results suggest that ERGM-based imputation of edge variables is a viable approach to the analysis of complex studies such as Add Health, provided that care is used in understanding and accounting for the study design.

URL

https://dx.doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.socnet.2015.12.003

Keyword(s)

Missing edge data ERGM-based imputation Held-Out Predictive Evaluation (HOPE)

Reference Type

Journal Article

Journal Title

Social Networks

Author(s)

Wang, Cheng
Butts, Carter T.
Hipp, John R.
Jose, Rupa
Lakon, Cynthia M.

Year Published

2016

Volume Number

45

Pages

89-98

Edition

January 7, 2016

DOI

10.1016/j.socnet.2015.12.003

NIHMSID

NIHMS748008

Reference ID

8045