Enneagrams

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Stagg737

Stagg737

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Posted this in the psychiatry sub-forum, but figured I'd probably get more responses here. I have a patient who recently started seeing a therapist and they had him fill out an Enneagram. He asked me if I wanted it sent to us and I said sure, but I have never heard of these. A quick google seems like it's basically another Meyers-Briggs-like conceptualization with more basis in pop-psychology than actual therapy.

Anyone have any knowledge or experience with these? Curious if there's any actual clinical utility that a thorough eval wouldn't address or if this is basically like a an interesting Buzzfeed quiz.
 
Stagg737 said:
Posted this in the psychiatry sub-forum, but figured I'd probably get more responses here. I have a patient who recently started seeing a therapist and they had him fill out an Enneagram. He asked me if I wanted it sent to us and I said sure, but I have never heard of these. A quick google seems like it's basically another Meyers-Briggs-like conceptualization with more basis in pop-psychology than actual therapy.

Anyone have any knowledge or experience with these? Curious if there's any actual clinical utility that a thorough eval wouldn't address or if this is basically like a an interesting Buzzfeed quiz.
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Ugh. I cringe whenever I hear about Enneagrams. They’re so pop cultural, so they drive me bonkers. My understanding is that there is not strong psychometric data on it at this time, but I am not certain. If someone does have citations, please share here. I would like to do a search at some point, not sure when.
 
It's trashy type psychology meets the Forer effect.

Mama Bear said:
Ugh. I cringe whenever I hear about Enneagrams. They’re so pop cultural, so they drive me bonkers. My understanding is that there is not strong psychometric data on it at this time, but I am not certain. If someone does have citations, please share here. I would like to do a search at some point, not sure when.
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It's all proprietary...what a shocker.
 
Remember these from elementary school?


1.jpg
 
I've never heard of them, so I Googled it, and even the Wikipedia entry says they are pseudoscience.
 
Really, I am very curious what the presenting problem is that would require psychiatry and an Enneagram. I feel like those assessments are used more for things like career counseling than mood or psychotic disorders. Does the person know which Harry Potter character they are?
 
Sanman said:
Really, I am very curious what the presenting problem is that would require psychiatry and an Enneagram. I feel like those assessments are used more for things like career counseling than mood or psychotic disorders. Does the person know which Harry Potter character they are?
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The problem is they are Voldemort.
 
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Have you guys seen that Harry Potter pathology quiz that is supposedly based on actual research? It's AWFUL.
 
cara susanna said:
Have you guys seen that Harry Potter pathology quiz that is supposedly based on actual research? It's AWFUL.
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I haven't, but I don't have Facebook anymore, so I feel like I miss out on a lot of this stuff.
 
Enneagrams are the new MBTI. I really have to wonder why they're making such a splash into the counseling/psych community - a LOT of interns and associate level therapists in my area are obsessed with it, and I'm just.... ahhhhhh.

It's a fun conversation starter. I ask about it in the same breath that I use to ask about Harry Potter Hogwarts houses and Divergent factions. But never as a clinical assessment tool.
 
An enneagram, MBTI, or Harry Potter type can all have some clinical utility in facilitating a dialogue about a patient understanding of themselves. Not something I would recommend for a patient, but I also typically don't explain to them how it is not a psychometrically sound instrument. Mainly because coming off like a pedantic jerk can sever rapport. I would not administer as part of an assessment and am skeptical of anyone who did.
 
Here is a recent review in the Journal of Clinical Psychology of the Ennegram. Thought you folks may find it interesting.
 
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