Minimum disparity estimation in controlled branching processes

Abstract

Minimum disparity estimation in controlled branching processes is dealt with by assuming that the offspring law belongs to a general parametric family. Under some regularity conditions it is proved that the minimum disparity estimators proposed -based on the nonparametric maximum likelihood estimator of the offspring law when the entire family tree is observed- are consistent and asymptotic normally distributed. Moreover, it is discussed the robustness of the estimators proposed. Through a simulated example, focussing on the minimum Hellinger and negative exponential disparity estimators, it is shown that both are robust against outliers, being the negative exponential one also robust against inliers.