simml:Single-Index Models with Multiple-Links

A major challenge in estimating treatment decision rules from a randomized clinical trial dataset with covariates measured at baseline lies in detecting relatively small treatment effect modification-related variability (i.e., the treatment-by-covariates interaction effects on treatment outcomes) against a relatively large non-treatment-related variability (i.e., the main effects of covariates on treatment outcomes). The class of Single-Index Models with Multiple-Links is a novel single-index model specifically designed to estimate a single-index (a linear combination) of the covariates associated with the treatment effect modification-related variability, while allowing a nonlinear association with the treatment outcomes via flexible link functions. The models provide a flexible regression approach to developing treatment decision rules based on patients' data measured at baseline. We refer to Park, Petkova, Tarpey, and Ogden (2020) <doi:10.1016/j.jspi.2019.05.008> and Park, Petkova, Tarpey, and Ogden (2020) <doi:10.1111/biom.13320> (that allows an unspecified X main effect) for detail of the method. The main function of this package is simml().