Stein's method for Conditional Central Limit Theorem

Abstract

In the seventies, Charles Stein revolutionized the way of proving the Central Limit Theorem by introducing a method that utilizes a characterization equation for Gaussian distribution. In the last 50 years, much research has been done to adapt and strengthen this method to a variety of different settings and other limiting distributions. However, it has not been yet extended to study conditional convergences. In this article, we develop a novel approach using Stein's method for exchangeable pairs to find a rate of convergence in Conditional Central Limit Theorem of the form $(X_n\mid Y_n=k)$, where $(X_n,Y_n)$ are asymptotically jointly Gaussian, and extend this result to a multivariate version. We apply our general result to several concrete examples, including pattern count in a random binary sequence and subgraph count in Erdös-Rényi random graph.

50 pages. Assumption II was changed, the multivariate result was improved, overall presentation was revised, final version. To appear in the Annals of Probability