Bayesian Conditional Transformation Models
提出贝叶斯条件变换模型，通过样条参数化和平滑先验直接推断整个条件分布，适用于连续、删失和离散响应，模拟和实证表明其优于似然法及贝叶斯分位数回归等。
Recent developments in statistical regression methodology shift away from pure mean regression toward distributional regression models. One important strand thereof is that of conditional transformation models (CTMs). CTMs infer the entire conditional distribution directly by applying a transformation function to the response conditionally on a set of covariates toward a simple log-concave reference distribution. Thereby, CTMs allow not only variance, kurtosis or skewness but the complete conditional distribution to depend on the explanatory variables. We propose a Bayesian notion of conditional transformation models (BCTMs) focusing on exactly observed continuous responses, but also incorporating extensions to randomly censored and discrete responses. Rather than relying on Bernstein polynomials that have been considered in likelihood-based CTMs, we implement a spline-based parameterization for monotonic effects that are supplemented with smoothness priors. Furthermore, we are able to benefit from the Bayesian paradigm via easily obtainable credible intervals and other quantities without relying on large sample approximations. A simulation study demonstrates the competitiveness of our approach against its likelihood-based counterpart but also Bayesian additive models of location, scale and shape and Bayesian quantile regression. Two applications illustrate the versatility of BCTMs in problems involving real world data, again including the comparison with various types of competitors. Supplementary materials for this article are available online.