“They’re not gonna want someone like me”: Understanding neurodiversity in personality assessment - BPS Conference

Lorna Govan (Speaker)
Butler, J. (Contributor)

Work, Employment And Organisation

Activity: Talk or Presentation › Invited talk

Period	7 Mar 2025
Event title	British Psychological Society (BPS) Division of Occupational Psychology Annual Conference
Event type	Conference
Location	LondonShow on map
Degree of Recognition	National

Documents & Links

Abstract: “They’re not gonna want someone like me”: Understanding the Experiences of Neurodiverse Individuals with Personality Testing in Recruitment This study investigated the experiences and strategies of neurodivergent individuals, specifically autistic individuals and those with ADHD, in relation to personality testing during recruitment processes. As organisations increasingly use personality assessments to align candidates’ traits with job requirements, and to predict their future job performance. However, due to differences in personality scores, communication difficulties, and experiences with masking (altering their behaviour to hide their neurodivergence), concerns arise about the fairness of these tests for neurodiverse populations – particularly those who are autistic or have ADHD. Through qualitative interviews with neurodivergent adults, this research identified significant challenges in understanding and responding to personality assessments for these two groups. Participants reported difficulties with complex language, literal interpretations of questions, and the need for additional context. Additionally, participants often either faked their responses or answered to reflect the ways in which they would mask if they obtained the role. Participants described emotional distress while completing the test, and being left with strong negative emotions afterwards that would affect future applications. Practical recommendations include simplifying test language, providing contextual explanations, and implementing support systems during testing. These insights aim to foster more equitable and effective employment practices, ensuring neurodivergent individuals are fairly represented and supported in the workforce.