Confidence regions and tests for a change-point in a sequence of exponential family random variables

SUMMARY Maximum likelihood methods are used to test for a change in a sequence of independent exponential family random variables, with particular emphasis on the exponential distribution. The exact null and alternative distributions of the test statistics are found, and the power is compared with a test based on a linear trend statistic. Exact and approximate confidence regions for the change-point are based on the values accepted by a level x likelihood ratio test and a modification of the method proposed by Cox & Spj0tvoll (1982). The methods are applied to a classical data set on the time intervals between coal mine explosions, and the change in variation of stock market returns. In both cases the confidence regions for the change-point cover historical events that may have caused the changes.