Burnout Test: See Your Exhaustion, Cynicism and Accomplishment Scores
This burnout test, a short quiz, explores exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced accomplishment using original questions informed by the Maslach model. Get an instant self-assessment result and a breakdown of work or caregiving strain.
Reviewed by Michael Callans, MSW 
Burnout Test is a free, confidential 15-question self-assessment, informed by the three Maslach burnout dimensions. It takes about 7 minutes, runs entirely in your browser, and gives you a plain-language score across 3 interpretation bands plus an optional in-depth report. It is an educational screening, not a diagnosis.
Burnout has three sides, not one
Decades of research by Christina Maslach show burnout is not just being tired. It is a syndrome with three distinct parts that can each be present to different degrees. This screener looks at all three so you see where the strain actually sits.
Emotional exhaustion
The core of burnout: feeling drained, depleted, and used up by your work or caregiving, with nothing left to give at the end of the day.
Cynicism & detachment
Also called depersonalization: growing distant, callous, or detached from the people and work you used to care about, often as a way to cope with overload.
Sense of accomplishment
The flip side: whether you still feel effective and that your work matters. A shrinking sense of accomplishment is the third marker of burnout.
| Feature | Typical free quiz | Psychology.com |
|---|---|---|
| Based on the Maslach three-dimension model | Rarely | Yes, all three measured |
| Separate score per dimension | No | Yes, full breakdown |
| Honest about being an adaptation | No | Yes, clearly labeled |
| Clinician-reviewed interpretation | Rarely | Yes, clinician reviewed |
| Concrete next steps | No | Yes, evidence-based |
| Optional in-depth personalized report | No | Yes, written to your exact scores |
| Confidential (no data sent) | Often tracked | Runs in your browser |
How scoring works
Answers are scored 0–60 in total. Your result falls into one of 3 bands:
| Score | Band | What it suggests |
|---|---|---|
| 0–19 | Low signs of burnout | Your responses suggest few signs of burnout right now. You generally feel resourced and engaged. That is worth protecting. |
| 20–39 | Moderate signs of burnout | Your responses show moderate signs of burnout. Some strain has built up, and this is a useful moment to act before it deepens. |
| 40–60 | High signs of burnout | Your responses show strong signs of burnout across the dimensions. This is a serious load to be carrying, and it deserves real attention and support. |
How common is this?
Screening questions land differently when you know how many other people are answering them the same way. Our burnout statistics page collects the current numbers on burnout in the United States, each one with its source and the year it was measured next to it.
None of those figures say anything about your own result. They are context for it, and a reminder that whatever the score, this is common ground rather than rare territory.
A burnout test describes your reported strain; population statistics cannot determine whether you need support. Different studies use different questionnaires, occupations, and definitions of burnout. A percentage from a workplace survey should therefore be read with its sample and measurement method, rather than treated as the share of all adults who would receive your result.
How the burnout score works
This screener has 15 statements, five for each of the three Maslach dimensions: exhaustion, cynicism, and accomplishment. Each statement is rated from Never (0) to Always (4), so each dimension runs 0 to 20 and the total runs 0 to 60.
The five accomplishment statements are reverse-scored, since feeling effective and capable points away from burnout. A higher accomplishment score on your breakdown reflects less of a sense of accomplishment, not more, so it can be added directly to the other two dimensions to read as one consistent burnout total.
These bands are educational summaries created for this adaptation. The original MBI's research does not validate this page's combined total or its thresholds. A low total can still accompany a concerning exhaustion response, so use concrete effects on sleep, relationships, and daily tasks to decide whether to seek support.
Work burnout vs caregiver burnout
This screener is written around a job or role in general, and it captures the same three dimensions whether the strain comes from a career, a business you run, or unpaid caregiving. If most of your load comes specifically from caring for a child, a partner, or an aging parent, the Caregiver Burnout Test asks about that situation directly and may reflect your day more precisely. If the strain feels bigger than any one role, the Stress Level Test looks at your overall day-to-day stress instead.
Whichever version fits, the response is similar: protect real recovery time, get honest about what support is available, and consider the Self-Care Plan or Stress Management tools for concrete next steps. If scores stay high, the Psychology.com therapist directory can connect you with a clinician who works with burnout and overload.
WHO's formal definition applies specifically to chronic workplace stress. This page also invites reflection on caregiving, which is a broader educational use and does not extend WHO's occupational classification to unpaid family care. If low mood or loss of interest affects life beyond the demanding role, the Depression Test can help organize that concern for a conversation with a clinician. The Psychology.com tests hub offers related self-assessments.
How to Talk About Burnout at Work
If it feels safe to raise the issue, describe the working conditions you need help changing: competing deadlines, missed breaks, unclear responsibilities, or insufficient staffing. Ask which tasks can be delayed, reassigned, or simplified. WHO recommends addressing workplace risks through changes to working conditions, alongside support for individual mental health.
You can ask for a workload conversation without sharing your screening score. Prepare examples of what is becoming difficult and the change you want to discuss. A supportive manager, occupational health service, or worker representative may help identify available options. A self-assessment alone cannot determine fitness for work or whether leave is appropriate.
Methodology & sources
The Maslach Burnout Inventory (Maslach & Jackson, 1981) defines burnout through three dimensions: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization or cynicism, and reduced personal accomplishment. The MBI itself is a proprietary, copyrighted instrument, so this screener does not reproduce its items. Instead it is an honest educational adaptation: original frequency-based statements written to reflect each of the three research dimensions, with five items per dimension answered on a Never to Always scale scored 0 to 4.
Because a strong sense of accomplishment points away from burnout, the accomplishment items are reverse-scored so that a higher total always reflects more burnout signs. The total runs from 0 to 60 and is interpreted in broad bands (low, moderate, and high signs of burnout) rather than as a clinical cutoff. This is a tool for reflection and early awareness, not the validated MBI and not a diagnosis.
The cited Maslach research provides the conceptual framework, rather than validation of these original statements. This adaptation has no established sensitivity or specificity for identifying a clinical condition. WHO classifies burnout as an occupational phenomenon, and a clinician may need to consider other explanations for persistent exhaustion, including depression and physical health problems.
References
- Maslach C, Jackson SE. The measurement of experienced burnout. J Occup Behav. 1981;2(2):99-113.
- Maslach C, Schaufeli WB, Leiter MP. Job burnout. Annu Rev Psychol. 2001;52:397-422.
- World Health Organization. Burn-out an 'occupational phenomenon': International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). Geneva: WHO; 2019.
- World Health Organization. Burn-out an occupational phenomenon: International Classification of Diseases. who.int/news/item/28-05-2019-burn-out-an-occupational-phenomenon-international-classification-of-diseases
- World Health Organization. Mental health at work. who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-at-work
- National Institute of Mental Health. Depression. nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/depression
Cite this source
Psychology.com. (2026, September 16). Burnout Test. Psychology.com. https://psychology.com/tests/burnout
Burnout Test FAQ
What is burnout?
Burnout is a state of chronic exhaustion, growing cynicism or detachment, and a reduced sense of accomplishment, usually driven by prolonged stress at work or in caregiving. The World Health Organization recognizes it as an occupational phenomenon, not a medical condition.
Is this the official Maslach Burnout Inventory?
No. The MBI is a proprietary, copyrighted instrument, so this page uses original questions informed by its research dimensions. This is an educational adaptation for self-reflection. Its score bands have not been validated as MBI cutoffs, and your result cannot be converted into an official MBI score or used as a diagnosis.
What does a high score mean?
A high score means you are reporting strong signs across one or more of the three burnout dimensions. It is a signal to take rest, support, and possibly workload changes seriously, and to consider talking with a professional. It is not a diagnosis.
Is burnout the same as depression?
Burnout and depression can involve exhaustion, difficulty concentrating, and reduced motivation. Burnout describes strain related to work, while depression can affect mood, pleasure, sleep, and functioning across life. They can occur together, and a burnout score cannot distinguish them. If low mood or loss of interest continues away from work, or daily functioning is suffering, seek a clinical assessment.
Is the test really confidential?
Yes. It runs entirely in your browser. Your individual answers are scored in your browser and are never sent to us or linked to you. They stay in this tab so you can return to your result, and closing or clearing the tab clears them. If you ask us to email the PDF, we receive your summary scores with your email address, never your individual answers. No account is needed.
How does this burnout test work?
It is a free 15-item screener built on the three burnout dimensions Maslach identified: emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and a reduced sense of accomplishment. You rate how often each statement has felt true over the past few weeks, then get a total score, a breakdown across the three dimensions. It is a screening for self-reflection, not a diagnosis, and it runs entirely in your browser.
Is there a test for emotional exhaustion?
Yes, emotional exhaustion is measured directly here as one of the three burnout dimensions, with five items on feeling drained, depleted, and running on empty. Research treats exhaustion as the core of burnout, so your breakdown shows it as its own score alongside cynicism and accomplishment. A high exhaustion score is a screening signal to take rest seriously, not a diagnosis, and a therapist or doctor can help you interpret it.
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