Conditional Weighted Residuals (CWRES): A Model Diagnostic for the FOCE Method

Abstract
Population model analyses have shifted from using the first order (FO) to the first-order with conditional estimation (FOCE) approximation to the true model. However, the weighted residuals (WRES), a common diagnostic tool used to test for model misspecification, are calculated using the FO approximation. Utilizing WRES with the FOCE method may lead to misguided model development/evaluation. We present a new diagnostic tool, the conditional weighted residuals (CWRES), which are calculated based on the FOCE approximation.