Choosing methods of approximating and combining discrete p-values: an optimal transport approach

Abstract Number:

2803 

Submission Type:

Contributed Abstract 

Contributed Abstract Type:

Paper 

Participants:

Gonzalo Contador (1)

Institutions:

(1) Universidad Tecnica Federico Santa Maria, Santiago, Chile

First Author:

Gonzalo Contador  
Universidad Tecnica Federico Santa Maria

Presenting Author:

Gonzalo Contador  
N/A

Abstract Text:

Combining p-values in meta-analysis is a popular method when test data are unavailable or challenging to merge into a global significance. A variety of methods with different statistical properties exist in the continuous case (when the null distribution of the p-value is uniform). Heard and Delanchy (2018) reframed each method as a likelihood ratio test, guiding the selection of a most powerful combiner for a specific alternative. Discrete p-values present additional challenges, as their null distribution varies significantly, making the distribution of each combiner intractable. We first present a testing framework based on a Wasserstein-closest modification of a p-value towards a target distribution, show that under very mild conditions it produces asymptotically consistent tests. We present the closed form approximation statistics for common methods (Fisher, Pearson, Edgington, Stouffer, George) and presenting the optimal choice of a most powerful discrete combiner in many alternative hypothesis settings, presenting some applications in public health, weak and sparse signal detection, and genetic and genomic association tests.

Keywords:

p-value combination|Meta-Analysis|Stouffer's Method|Edgington’s method|Fisher’s method|George’s method

Sponsors:

Section on Statistical Computing

Tracks:

Data Science

Can this be considered for alternate subtype?

Yes

Are you interested in volunteering to serve as a session chair?

Yes

I have read and understand that JSM participants must abide by the Participant Guidelines.

Yes

I understand that JSM participants must register and pay the appropriate registration fee by June 1, 2024. The registration fee is non-refundable.

I understand