Can you use the MBTI(R) or a similar instrument to assess personality preferences in “non-normal” populations? Are clients on the autism spectrum, or those diagnosed with ADHD, or client who have suffered brain injury completely inappropriate for this tool? What can be gained from the principles of these instruments to better serve their natural learning style while taking care to acknowledge that the instrument is being used “off-label?”

1. The Personality Spectrum
Using the Principles of Personality
Preferences in “Non-Normal” Populations
A presentation for APTi eChapter
January 23, 2014

2. What is Your Assessment Philosophy?
Let’s take the quiz!

3. 1. Assessments need to be administered to the target audience only
as outlined in the manual.
______1_________2____________3______________4.___________5_______
Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree

4. 2. An incomplete assessment is of no value.
______1_________2____________3______________4.___________5_______
Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree

5. 3. You should not take the principles and concepts from an
assessment and create your own tool or screening.
______1_________2____________3______________4.___________5_______
Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree

6. 4. The most important conclusions from an assessment will not
necessarily be based on it’s concrete findings.
______1_________2____________3______________4.___________5_______
Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree

7. 5. It is sometimes more desirable to work from a hypothesis rather
than a final conclusion when using assessments.
______1_________2____________3______________4.___________5_______
Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree

8. 6. The interpretation and collaborative discussion that takes place
after an assessment is the most important step of the process.
______1_________2____________3______________4.___________5_______
Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree

9. RESULTS!
If you scored yourself high on questions 1,2,and 3, you
tend to be an Assessment Purist. You place high value on
sticking with the data based, researched results.
If you scored yourself high on questions 4,5,and 6, you
tend to be an Assessment Artist. You like to take the
principles of the assessment and nuance them based on
the situation.

10. Case Study #1
A 32 year old female was bitten by a mosquito and developed encephalitis, an inflammation of
the brain. After her hospital stay, her residual problem was moderate memory loss. In trying
to perform activities of daily living, her memory affected most outcomes. From schedules to
“how to’s” to important tasks she needed to do, she was having difficulty due to her memory
loss.

11. Her ENFP speech therapist suggested this as a memory strategy:

12. But she wanted this “because the
post-it notes look messy and clutter up
my kitchen” :
What do you think her type might have been?

13. What is an “off-label” use of something?
In medical parlance, off-label use is using a drug that in a way that isn’t specifically indicated
by the manufacturer or is used in a population that the drug was not intended for.

14. Case study #2
24 year old engineer with known diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome. This is
one population that is not indicated as an appropriate use of the MBTI. Going
“off label”, the client took the MBTI Form M and type verified ISTJ. In our
discussion, among other things he learned that:
• ISTJ’s have a natural strength for details (normalizing some of the behavior
associated with this disorder).
• ISTJs learn best by practice. “I practice certain social things and I know
that’s how I get better at it.”
• There is a natural preference for structure in ISTJs. Through writing with
the non-dominant hand exercise, he learned that others might prefer less
structure.
Question: What did the client gain by taking the MBTI? What were the
drawbacks? What else might he learn about himself?

15. When perception and
judgment are out of
balance, there is the
potential for chaos (too
much stimuli/too many
thoughts) or rigidity (being
closed to new information).
When balance and
integration are present,
the mind flows like a river.
Taken from The Mindful Therapist
by Daniel J. Siegel (2010)

16. Case Study #3
52 year old rabbinic cantor who type verified INFP. He has wondered if he
might have ADHD as he reports difficulty staying focused, on time, and
organized. Upon seeing a doctor a couple of years ago, he was prescribed
Adderall and indeed his focus was improved. However, he also found that
his creativity was compromised, so he stopped taking the medication.
As he learned more about his type, he discovered the impact of having a
auxiliary extraverted intuition and also a preference for “P”.
What do you think he could do differently to improve attention and focus
without relying on medication? How can he help himself bring
perception and judgment into balance?

17. Top 3 Strategies that helped the Cantor:
1. Simplify his external strategy to stay organized. Having too many files, labels,
systems and sub-systems were created in the moment by extraverted intuition
but difficult to trace after the fact.
2. Decrease visual clutter in his office and rearrange his room to encourage an
atmosphere conducive to focusing.
3. Use a timer to stay ensure that he stayed on task and did not switch over to
something else.

18. Ann’s List of Off-Label Guidelines
Do
• Use the MBTI as a way to explore the
parameters of type. Stay flexible!
• Be aware of limitations of using actual MBTI
(language limitations, age, disability)
• Use other tools and resources to identify
type
• Make your own screening tool as needed
• Use actual or hypothesized preferences to
create effective strategies to meet goals
• Use type preferences to change the
environment for a desirable outcome
• Involve family if needed to discuss
preferences
• Collaborate and share information with
physicians
Avoid
• Pushing toward a final type verification if it
isn’t forthcoming. Stay curious!
• Struggling too much to identify what is
type-related and what is not. Behavior is
behavior so strategize with the assumption
that you are addressing a behavior.
• Relying on one instrument if something
else works better
• Getting into type arguments. Sometimes
incorporating the concepts of type take
time. It’s a process!

19. Ann's Blog @ MN Coaches
“Mind Matters”:
http://minnesotacoaches.org/blog/
Ann's Blog @ International Coaching
Federation:
http://icfheadquarters.blogspot.com/

20. Contact Information:
Email: Annholm@Annholm.net
Websites: Annholm.net
QueenAnntics.net
Annholm.net
AnnholmNet
Linkedin.com/in/annholmnet