A Causal View on Bias in Missing Data Imputation: The Impact of Evil Auxiliary Variables on Norming of Test Scores

Sengewald E, Hardt K, Sengewald MA (2025)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2025

Journal

Multivariate Behavioral Research Taylor & Francis (Psychology Press) / Taylor & Francis (Routledge): STM, Behavioural Science and Public Health Titles

Book Volume: 60

Pages Range: 258-274

Journal Issue: 2

DOI: 10.1080/00273171.2024.2412682

Abstract

Among the most important merits of modern missing data techniques such as multiple imputation (MI) and full-information maximum likelihood estimation is the possibility to include additional information about the missingness process via auxiliary variables. During the past decade, the choice of auxiliary variables has been investigated under a variety of different conditions and more recent research points to the potentially biasing effect of certain auxiliary variables, particularly colliders (Thoemmes & Rose, 2014). In this article, we further extend biasing mechanisms of certain auxiliary variables considered in previous research and thereby focus on their effects on individual diagnosis based on norming, in which the whole distribution of a variable is of interest rather than average coefficients (e.g., means). For this, we first provide the theoretical underpinnings of the mechanisms under study and then provide two focused simulations that (i) directly expand on the collider scenario in Thoemmes and Rose (2014, appendix A) by considering outcomes that are relevant to norming and (ii) extend the scenarios under consideration by instrumental variable mechanisms. We illustrate the bias mechanisms for two different norming approaches and exemplify the procedures by means of an empirical example. We end by discussing limitations and implications of our research.

Involved external institutions

Bundesagentur für Arbeit DE Germany (DE) Leibniz-Institut für Bildungsverläufe e.V. (LIfBi) DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Sengewald, E., Hardt, K., & Sengewald, M.A. (2025). A Causal View on Bias in Missing Data Imputation: The Impact of Evil Auxiliary Variables on Norming of Test Scores. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 60(2), 258-274. https://doi.org/10.1080/00273171.2024.2412682

MLA:

Sengewald, Erik, Katinka Hardt, and Marie Ann Sengewald. "A Causal View on Bias in Missing Data Imputation: The Impact of Evil Auxiliary Variables on Norming of Test Scores." Multivariate Behavioral Research 60.2 (2025): 258-274.

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