Ethical guidelines ensure that respondents receive accurate, clear, and supportive information about personality type and the meaning of their MBTI results. Such information helps individuals feel comfortable about type and teaches them how to use type knowledge to improve their lives.

MBTI certified practitioners, as trained professionals, have a responsibility to administer the instrument and interpret the results ethically and competently. The professional responsibility of using a restricted psychological assessment is a large part of the training practitioners receive during their certification program which includes guidelines on ethical administration and use of the instrument.

What People Need to Know

Knowing that the certified professionals you are working with follow strict, ethical guidelines brings confidence in the work. What should you, as a personality type enthusiast or client, know about the ethical use of the MBTI instrument?

• Taking the assessment is voluntary.
• Results are confidential.
• Psychological type describes healthy personality differences.
• All personality types are valuable.
• Results are never to be used to limit anyone.
• Personality type preferences are tendencies, inclinations, and preferred ways of doing things and being in the world—they are not absolutes.
• We use all the preferences but tend to prefer some more than others.
• People are complex and multi-faceted. Personality type is part of who we are, not all of who we are.
• We have a choice to use our natural preference or stretch to the opposite preferences if a situation calls for it.
• People can and do act in ways contrary to their preferences because of personal history, education, training, and experience—sometimes, too, because of pressure from family, relationships, job environment, or culture. Doing so for extended periods of time may cause stress and exhaustion.
• The MBTI assessment is not designed to be used for hiring purposes. It does not measure ability, competence, or skill—rather it focuses on self-understanding and personal/professional growth and development.

An added value of using the official MBTI assessment and what makes it unique is that it adheres to ethical use, so you can feel comfortable and confident in its use.