Validity of the Montreal Battery of Evaluation of Amusia: An Analysis Using Structural Equation Modeling

Abstract

The Montreal Battery of Evaluation of Amusia (MBEA) is the gold standard for diagnosing amusia. We aimed to evaluate its factorial and convergent validity. Data were collected for the MBEA and a self-report Amusic Dysfunction Inventory on a non-random sample (n = 249), and the following Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) procedures were conducted: confirmatory factor analysis of the theoretical model; exploratory SEM for alternative non-restricted factor solutions; and structural models with each of these solutions as predictors of the inventory’s items. The theoretical model did not prove acceptable goodness of fit, and two- and threefactor non-restricted models were better-fitted solutions for Scale, Contour and Interval tests, and Meter and Memory tests, respectively, than the theoretical one-factor model. This may reflect distinct perceptual processes related to neurocognitive demand. The non-restricted models of Scale, Meter and Memory showed to be acceptable predictors of self-reported capacity for melodic perception, vocal production, rhythmic coordination, and memory.

Keywords

• amusia
• music cognition
• structural equation modeling