A comparative view of the Myers-Briggs type indicator.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Many family practice residency programs use the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) in the process of resident advising. The purpose of this study was to validate the MBTI with an alternative personality evaluation instrument. METHODS: We evaluated 44 residents with both the MBTI and the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (16PF) and computed correlation coefficients. RESULTS: The highest correlations between the two tests were for the Extraversion/Introversion dimension of personality (r = -.71). The 16PF factors of Tough Poise, Independence, and Superego/Control were also significantly correlated with items on the MBTI. The Anxiety dimension of the 16PF yielded no significant correlations with the MBTI. CONCLUSIONS: The Extraversion/Introversion variables of the MBTI and 16PF are highly correlated. Other variables on the 16PF and MBTI are also correlated.