Psychometric tests are now a multi-million-pound business: what lies behind a coach’s decision to use them?

A Harper International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring 2008

The use of psychometric tests has grown into a multi-million-pound industry. This paper describes a phenomenological study to investigate the reasons why coaches choose to use psychometric tests designed for personality assessment in their coaching. The aim of the study was to explore the decision-making process involved and whether accreditation is important. Data were collected from in-depth interviews with six experienced coaches who were accredited to use the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and at least one other psychometric test. The findings suggest that a background of psychological knowledge is as important as the knowledge of the use of psychometric tests.