Validation and applicability of the music ear test on a large Chinese sample

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 19; no. 2; p. e0297073
• Main Authors: Wang, Xiaoyu, Ren, Xiubo, Wang, Shidan, Yang, Dan, Liu, Shilin, Li, Meihui, Yang, Mingyi, Liu, Yintong, Xu, Qiujian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 07-02-2024; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Audiometry; Biology and Life Sciences; Examinations; Health aspects; Medicine and Health Sciences; Musical ability; Physical Sciences; Psychological aspects; Registered Report Protocol; Social aspects; Social Sciences; Testing; Validity; China; United Kingdom
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0297073

In the context of extensive disciplinary integration, researchers worldwide have increasingly focused on musical ability. However, despite the wide range of available music ability tests, there remains a dearth of validated tests applicable to China. The Music Ear Test (MET) is a validated scale that has been reported to be potentially suitable for cross-cultural distribution in a Chinese sample. However, no formal translation and cross-cultural reliability/validity tests have been conducted for the Chinese population in any of the studies using the Music Ear Test. This study aims to assess the factor structure, convergence, predictiveness, and validity of the Chinese version of the MET, based on a large sample of Chinese participants (n≥1235). Furthermore, we seek to determine whether variables such as music training level, response pattern, and demographic data such as gender and age have intervening effects on the results. In doing so, we aim to provide clear indications of musical aptitude and expertise by validating an existing instrument, the Music Ear Test, and provide a valid method for further understanding the musical abilities of the Chinese sample.