o_19kdfsn0q18e31dfraas1esh19vta.pdf

MBTI meant for kids) to obtain the types of children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder.
The children were of “normal intelligence.” It was Duke's hypothesis that ISTJs might be the type
that best matched the ASD symptom profile. But while Duke found that the children were more
likely than average to be Introverted and Judging, no specific link to type ISTJ was found.
ASD and the Big Five
Since the Big Five is correlated to the MBTI, we can cautiously use Five Factor studies to probe at
the relationship between type and ASD. (I have taken the liberty of translating the Big Five
descriptors into familiar MBTI descriptors, though such translation is by no means exact.)
One study found that autistic traits were associated with IT and Neuroticism. 273 Another study
found that a group of 64 adults diagnosed with Asperger's had higher ITP scores and Neuroticism
compared to a control group. 274
A third study had 320 university students take both the NEO-PI-R and the Autism Spectrum
Quotient (AQ) test. 275 (You can read or take the AQ test here.) It was found that ASD traits were
correlated with IP and Neuroticism. Interestingly, the AQ test separates ASD traits out into five
categories. Each category turned out to be correlated (strongly or weakly) to certain aspects of the
Big Five.
• Social skill (lack thereof): ITP + Neuroticism
• Attention switching (staying absorbed in one thing at length; wanting a plan and routine):
ISFP + Neuroticism
• Attention to details (noticing numbers, dates, small changes, details, patterns): ENJ
• Communication (lack of conversation skills) : ISP + Neuroticism
• Imagination (lack thereof): ISTP
It is interesting to note that only attention to details was associated with the judging preference (and
also the extraversion and intuition preferences!). At any rate, it seems that attention to details was
actually not correlated with sensing in this case. Meanwhile, attention switching—which I would
have expected to be correlated with judging given its association with routines and plans—was in
fact correlated with perceiving.
The AQ test has questions asking the respondent whether they would prefer to go to the library or a
party, or if they enjoy social chitchat, or notice patterns in things. Many of the questions have
obvious connections to type preferences independent of the existence of any issues. And this opens
up another question.
Type and/or Disorder?
Chester (INTJ) (2006) published a descriptive study in which he attempted to ascertain what sort of
overlap there might be between ITPs and Asperger’s syndrome (read here). He examined 19
Asperger's symptoms to see if there was any resemblance to known type characteristics.
Significantly, he not only compared the characteristics of well-developed types, but also of poorly
developed types.
273 Austin in Wakabayashi, Baron-Cohen & Wheelwright, 2006
274 Kanai, Iwanami, Hashimoto, Ota, Tani, Yamada & Kato, 2011
275 Wakabayashi, Baron-Cohen & Wheelwright, 2006