title: A Different Approach to Dependence Analysis.
abstract: This article focuses on a statistical tool for dependence analysis in scientific research. Starting from a recent index of concordance for a multiple linear regression model, a coefficient suitable in catching any monotonic dependence relationship between a dependent variable and an independent variable is derived and discussed. Given its interpretation in terms of monotonic dependence, it is called monotonic dependence coefficient (MDC). It is appropriate to all contexts where the dependent variable is quantitative (continuous or discrete) and the independent variable is at least of ordinal nature; tied data are also allowed. MDC's adequacy is validated through Monte Carlo simulations led by taking into account different scenarios of dependence. Finally, an application to real data is provided to stress MDC's capability of detecting dependence relationships between two variables, even if some pieces of information about original data are lost.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Economics, Management and Quantitative Methods , Università degli Studi di Milano.
authors.forename: Pier Alda
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.affiliation: a Department of Economics, Management and Quantitative Methods , Università degli Studi di Milano.
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Raffinetti
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D015999:Multivariate Analysis