Comparing the "family set" approach to estimate heritability with other conventional estimators: a Monte Carlo simulation.

A Monte Carlo simulation is performed to study the distribution of the family set estimators of heritability and to compare their performance with that of some conventional estimators used in human genetics. Comparisons of statistical properties among the two family set estimators (one based on the partial regression coefficients of the index's values on those of sib and cousin, respectively, and one based on the variances of the differences between the phenotypic values of index and cousin and of index and sib) and the three conventional estimators (one based on regression of index value on midparental value, another based on the sib-sib correlation, and the last one based on the index-cousin correlation) are also made under two genetic models.