Is the DiSC model still valid?
The model is almost 100 years old. The assessment is not. Here is what the research, the certification and the data protection behind Everything DiSC® actually look like.
DNV certified test tool
GDPR-compliant data processingThe short answer: yes
William Moulton Marston described the four DISC dimensions in 1928. What organisations use today is something else: Everything DiSC® is the original DiSC assessment, published by Wiley, and it is re-normed, re-tested and independently reviewed on an ongoing basis. The idea is old. The instrument is current, and its research is published openly.
The numbers behind it
A reliability score of .70 or higher is generally considered good. Figures from Wiley’s Everything DiSC research reports.
How we know it works
Reliability
Reliability asks whether a tool measures consistently. People who take Everything DiSC twice get very similar results, and the questions that belong to one scale measure the same thing. Both scores sit in the good-to-excellent range.
Validity
Validity asks whether a tool measures what it claims to. The eight DiSC scales relate to each other exactly as the circle model predicts, and the results line up with two of the most respected personality instruments in psychology: the NEO PI-R and the 16PF.
Adaptive testing
Everything DiSC adapts the questions to the answers you have already given. Independent analysis found this adaptive version 12% more accurate than the previous Everything DiSC assessment and 32% more accurate than DiSC Classic.
Tested before release
No Everything DiSC profile goes to market without beta testing. A recent profile went through three rounds with nearly 14,000 participants and 250 facilitators before launch.
Your data in safe hands
Assessments run on Wiley’s secure platform. We process personal data in line with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and profiles are only shared with the people you choose.
Why the question comes up
The doubt usually comes from a fair place. Many personality tests from the 1990s and 2000s have barely changed since, and there are dozens of free “DISC tests” online with no research behind them at all. When people ask whether DiSC is outdated, they are often comparing it with one of those, not with the Everything DiSC assessment we use.
Independent certification
Everything DiSC Workplace® (English) holds a DNV certificate of conformity as an occupational test tool, assessed according to a European test-quality framework. DNV is one of the world’s leading independent certification bodies.
Questions about the research
Is DiSC scientifically based?
Yes. Everything DiSC meets the standard criteria for psychometric instruments, with published data on reliability, validity and its norm group, and it has been certified by DNV as an occupational test tool.
Can DiSC be used for hiring decisions?
No. Everything DiSC has not been validated as a selection tool, and no DiSC style predicts job performance. It is designed for self-awareness, communication and teamwork.
Will I get the same result if I take it twice?
Very likely. With a median test-retest reliability of .86, most people see the same or a neighbouring style when they retake the assessment, unless their situation has changed significantly.
How is Everything DiSC different from free DISC tests?
Free tests are usually short, unvalidated questionnaires. Everything DiSC uses adaptive testing, 12 styles instead of 4, a current norm group and published research. That is why its results are more precise and more useful in practice.
Sources
- The History of Everything DiSC® (PDF)
- Everything DiSC® Research Report (PDF)
- Everything DiSC®: resources about DiSC (PDF)
- Wiley: Science behind DiSC®
- Everything DiSC® Manual (Wiley)
- Everything DiSC® Research Report for the adaptive testing assessment (Wiley)
- DNV certificate of conformity for Everything DiSC Workplace® (English)
Want to see the research for your own team?
Book a free 20-minute call. We’ll walk you through the research and help you choose the right assessment.
Or read: What is DiSC?