Validation of the abbreviated version of the Profile of Musical Perception Skills (Mini-PROMS) in a Spanish sample of musicians and non-musicians

Abstract

Despite the efforts made throughout the 20th century to develop standardized batteries to measure musical ability, there seems to be no consensus as to the construct’s gold standard. The Profile of Music Perception Skills (PROMS) was created with the aim of overcoming some of the limitations of previous assessment tests. The Mini-PROMS is the shortened version of the full battery and has a shorter application time. The aim of the present study was to validate the Mini-PROMS battery with a sample of Spanish musicians and non-musicians in order to provide useful scales for the development of research in the field of musical skills in the Spanish population. The results show that Mini-PROMS in Spanish is a reliable and valid tool for measuring the musical ability of musicians and non-musicians. Furthermore, this study provides information on some of the differences between musicians and non-musicians, offering useful scales for comparing the results of individuals with those of their reference population.