A new framework for the labeling of odors in the Sniffin’ Sticks odor identification test: relevance of familiarity and test–retest assessment

PURPOSE: The Sniffin' Sticks test is among the most commonly used methods of olfactory assessment and has been successfully adapted across various countries. However, to date, no study has examined cultural changes over time, within the same country. The present research is the first to explore the adaptation of odor labels to contemporary contexts. METHODS: A total of 83 normosmic participants (57 women) aged 18 to 75 years (y) (M = 35.2 y, SD = 13.7) were enrolled in four studies in which we replaced the unfamiliar odor labels with more familiar ones and balanced the frequency of labels used in the entire set of odor labels. Lastly, forty additional healthy participants (28 women) aged from 18 to 61 y (M = 32.8 y, SD = 11.4) were recruited to assess the test-retest reliability of the newly developed version of SS-OIT labeling within a period ranging from 1 to 57 days (M = 14.8 days, SD = 13.2). RESULTS: We aimed to increase the number of labels that are known by the present population, and hence, we modified 31% of the odor labels. The correlation coefficient of the new SS-OIT test-retest was moderate (R = .66 which changed to R = .71 after excluding an outlier, p < .001), which is typical for 16-item olfactory tests when tried in a normosmic population. CONCLUSION: This study introduces a fresh approach to SS-OIT labeling via a careful refinement and validation of an existing test that aligns more closely with evolving cultural trends. We also confirm the suitability of the new SS-OIT for clinical and research assessment.