On Anticipation Effect in Stepped Wedge Cluster Randomized Trials
阶梯楔形整群随机试验中的预期效应
In stepped wedge cluster randomized trials (SW-CRTs), the intervention is rolled out to clusters over multiple periods. A standard approach for analyzing SW-CRTs utilizes the linear mixed model, where the treatment effect is only present after the treatment adoption, under the assumption of no anticipation. This assumption, however, may not always hold in practice because stakeholders, providers, or individuals who are aware of the treatment adoption timing (especially when…