The montreal protocol for identification of amusia

The Montreal Battery for the Evaluation of Amusia (MBEA; Peretz, Champod, & Hyde, 2003) is an empirically-grounded quantitative tool that is widely used to identify individuals with congenital amusia. The use of such a standardized measure ensures that individuals tested conform to a specific neuropsychological profile, allowing for comparisons across studies and research groups. Recently, a number of researchers have published credible critiques of the usefulness of the MBEA as a diagnostic tool for amusia. Here we argue that the MBEA and its online counterpart, the AMUSIA tests (Peretz et al., 2008), should be considered steps in a screening process for amusia, rather than standalone diagnostic tools. The goal of this article is to present, in detailed and easily replicable format, the full protocol with which congenital amusics should be identified. In providing information that often goes unreported in published articles, we aim to clarify the strengths and limitations of the MBEA, and make recommendations for its continued use by the research community as part of the Montreal Protocol for Identification of Amusia (MPIA).