People with personality disorders are more likely to sign up for psychology studies – here's why that's a problem

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Many psychological studies rely on participants to give up their time to take part in experiments or complete questionnaires. They take part because they get paid or because they are required to as part of their university course. But, beyond this, not much is known about what motivates people to take part in these studies.

Some participants may be looking for help – perhaps seeking a diagnosis for a mental health issue they’re struggling with. A team of researchers in Poland theorised that taking part in a psychological study might be “perceived as a cheap substitute or alternative to acquire some professional help”. To this end, they set out to discover if participants in psychological studies were more likely to have a personality disorder or be experiencing depression or anxiety.