Internal consistency and short-term test-retest reliability of the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test

Measures of internal consistency and short-term test-retest reliability of the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) were determined in 69 people who showed a broad range of test scores at an earlier test administration. In addition, two procedures for releasing the microencapsulated odorants were compared. The split-half reliability coefficients for the two administrations were r = 0.930 and r = 0.957, respectively ( p <0.001). The test-retest (– 2-week interval) coefficient was r = 0.949 ( p <0.001). Release of the odorants by the tip of a #2 lead pencil resulted in scores equivalent to those obtained by releasing them with #120 sandpaper. These data, along with those collected previously on the long-term test-retest reliability ( r = 0.918), indicate that the UPSIT is a highly reliable and internally consistent test of smell function.