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In this episode, Joel and Antonia discuss one of the most commonly asked questions, “Is personality type related to ADHD?” by highlighting research, statistics, and numbers showing correlations between psychological types and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
| Study Breakdown |
Study Breakdown |
| ADHD | ADD |
| ENFP (17.44 %) | ENFP (23.53 %) |
| ESFP (13.95 %) | ESFJ (17.65 %) |
| ESFJ (12.79 %) | ESFP (14.71 %) |
| ISFP (9.30 %) | INFP (11.76 %) |
| INFP (6.98 %) | ISFP (11.76 %) |
| ENFJ (6.98 %) | ENFJ (8.82 %) |
| ISTP (5.81 %) | INFJ (5.88 %) |
| ISFJ (4.65 %) | ISFJ (2.94 %) |
| ESTJ (4.65 %) | INTP (2.94 %) |
| ESTP (4.65 %) | ENTJ (0.0 %) |
| INFJ (3.49 %) | INTJ (0.0 %) |
| ISTJ (3.49 %) | ESTJ (0.0 %) |
| INTP (2.33 %) | ISTJ (0.0 %) |
| ENTJ (1.16 %) | ISTP (0.0 %) |
| INTJ (1.16 %) | ESTP (0.0 %) |
| ENTP (1.16 %) | ENTP (0.0 %) |
Studies referred to in comments (added to over time):
The Relationship of Personality Style and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Children
In this podcast you’ll find:
- Is there a correlation between ADHD or ADD and personality types?
- Are there enough studies for this topic?
- What the MILO database system has to offer.
- The study on the relationship between ADHD, ADD and personality type.
- What does the DSM-5 say about ADHD and ADD?
-
Which types are most likely to have ADHD?
- Why are Joel and Antonia surprised by which type is highest on the list?
- The big spread Joel and Antonia’s types have from each other.
- Why did all the Introverted Feeling (xxFP) types and 2 Extroverted Feeling (xxFEJ) types land high on the list?
- Why are the NT (xNTx) types grouped together?
- What cognitive functions and David Kiersey’s type temperaments have to do with the results.
-
Which types are most likely to have ADD?
- The drastic split between Feelers and Thinkers.
- Is there a divide with Sensors and Intuitives?
- Why a large group of types report 0% ADD.
- Which types correlate with the ADHD list?
- Does Extraverted Exploration (Ne – Exploration) have a role in ADHD or ADD?
- The surprise cognitive function that is most correlated with both ADHD and ADD.
- What is the other cognitive function landing high on the list?
- How the cognitive function positions in the car model matter here.
- Why IxTPs are outliers in the study.
-
The effects of learning environments:
- Do some people have ADHD or ADD or just a different learning style?
- Real struggles people experience with their learning environments.
- Article by Daniel Foster on educational environments and type needs.
- What are the challenges in discovering type preferences in children?
- How can we tell if behavior is from type needs not being met vs ADHD and ADD?
- Why we need to use these findings to support children better.
-
The imperative changes we need to make for types high on the list:
- Giving FPs (xxFPs) what they absolutely need.
- Allowing SPs (xSxPs) to be as they are.
- Letting Extraverted Feeling (Fe – Harmony) Dominants thrive in their way.
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36 comments
If we didn’t mention the size of the study that was an unfortunate oversight. There were 35 teachers and 614 students involved in the study.
The paper you referenced we chose not to include primarily because there were 1/5th the number of children studied, predominantly male. The study we highlighted, though older, had far more children involved equalizing the genders.
There is also a study done of over 1,000 people that can be found with cursory research, but both the Myers-Briggs type preferences and ADHD diagnoses were self-reported and done entirely through online correspondence (if I read the study right). The study we reference in this podcast worked directly with students, giving batteries administered in person for both type and ADHD (and what was referred to at the time as ADD).
I don’t remember saying take the study as definitive. In fact, we were pretty clear it was an older study and would love to see a newer one (though perhaps we should have added the caveat “with similar numbers” for the study you reference and/or “as stringent guidelines” for the second one I mentioned.)
That said, we’ll make links to newer studies under the podcast once the notes are up.
A
I wonder if NT’s are under-reported as children because their NT helps them mask their symptoms. Just food for thought.
(correction; not ISTJ but ISFJ. Midnight typo…)
With all due respect, it’s important to be cautious with the interpretation of results from just one study.
With very little digging I found a more recent study (2017) that looked at very similar parameters (children diagnosed with ADHD, n = 107) that came to very different conclusions.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5733411/
Apparently their number one type with ADHD was ISTJ. And ENTPs held a respectable 5% of cases.
I can’t say either these findings or the ones you talk about are “correct”; i haven’t seen the study you referenced in the podcast, but as I listened, what I didn’t hear from you guys was the size of the cohort studied or the methods used. Those are the key tells i am listening for when I am absorbing information about a single piece of research, because those will give me clues as to what conclusions can and cannot be drawn.
Especially when it comes to the venn diagram of clinical study and psychometrics (doubly so for the MBTI which — as much as I enjoy using it in my life — suffers from reproducibility challenges when it comes to its use scientifically) it’s really important to read papers skeptically and cross-check them with any other available research.
Well, I’m the “unicorn” ENTP with combined type ADHD. I did have seizures until I was 5 and was on some massive anti-convulsants. I did terrible in public school. I went into the Navy at 17. After 4 years of that, I went to college and had a ball learning new things. I graduated undergrad with a 3.0. I went on to get my masters with a 3.8. I question these studies because cognitive development continues well into our 20s. My symptoms have gotten easier to manage with age and “wisdom.”