A more powerful familywise error control procedure for evaluating mean equivalence

Abstract

When one wishes to show no meaningful differences among group means, equivalence tests should be used, as a nonsignificant test of mean difference does not provide evidence supporting equivalence. This research proposes two modified stepwise procedures for controlling the familywise Type I error rate, based on the Bonferroni-type correction of k²/4 (where k is the number of groups to be compared) proposed by Caffo, Lauzon and Rohmel (2013 Correction to “easy multiplicity control in equivalence testing using two One-Sided tests. The American Statistician 67 (2):115–6) Bonferroni-type correction of k²/4 (where k is the number of groups to be compared). Using a Monte Carlo simulation method, we show that adopting a stepwise procedure increases power, while maintaining the familywise error rate at or below α. Implications for applied research and directions for future study are discussed.

Keywords:

• Equivalence testing
• Familywise error
• Stepwise multiple comparison procedures

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Council of Canada under Grant 435-2016-1057.