Work Addiction Assessment
Work Addiction Test
Inspired by the Bergen Work Addiction Scale (BWAS)
Find out if your relationship with work has crossed the line from dedicated to compulsive. This test is informed by research that treats workaholism as a behavioral addiction.
The Science Behind This Test
The Bergen Work Addiction Scale was developed by researchers at the University of Bergen, Norway. It treats workaholism as a behavioral addiction, similar to how we understand gambling or gaming addiction.
From the Research
"Workaholism can be defined as being overly concerned about work, being driven by an uncontrollable work motivation, and spending so much energy and effort on work that it impairs private relationships, spare-time activities and/or health."
— Andreassen, C.S., Griffiths, M.D., et al. (2012). Development of a Work Addiction Scale. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology.
Why it matters: This definition separates workaholism from simply working hard or loving your job. The key difference is compulsion and negative consequences.
The BWAS is built on the same framework used to understand other behavioral addictions. Each of the 7 questions maps to a core component of addiction:
This framework comes from Griffiths (2005) and Brown (1993), as applied by Andreassen et al.
From the Research
"Overall, the suggested cut-off seems well founded from both clinical and empirical points of view, suggesting that the BWAS has good discriminative validity."
— Andreassen, C.S., Griffiths, M.D., et al. (2012). Development of a Work Addiction Scale. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology.
High internal consistency means the 7 items reliably measure the same underlying construct.
Those who met the criteria worked about 9 hours more per week than those who didn't.
In a study of nearly 2,500 Norwegian workers, researchers found that about 1 in 12 people met the criteria for work addiction using the BWAS cutoff.
From the Research
"About 7.8% of people met the BWAS criteria for work addiction."
— Andreassen, C.S., et al. (2014). The Prevalence of Workaholism. PLOS One.
How Scoring Works
The BWAS uses a frequency-based scoring method. What matters most is how many symptoms you experience "Often" or "Always."
| Criteria Met | Risk Level | What It Suggests |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1 items scored 4 or 5 | Low Risk | Your answers don't indicate problematic work behavior |
| 2-3 items scored 4 or 5 | Some Signs | Some workaholic tendencies, but below the threshold |
| 4-7 items scored 4 or 5 | High Risk | Pattern consistent with work addiction |
The cutoff of 4+ criteria comes from the original Andreassen et al. (2012) research, which found this threshold effectively distinguishes workaholics from non-workaholics.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The official BWAS is a 7-item scale developed by Andreassen, Griffiths, and colleagues at the University of Bergen (2012). Our work addiction test is independently written, measuring the same seven addiction components — salience, tolerance, mood modification, relapse, withdrawal, conflict, and problems — using our own original items.
Andreassen et al. (2012) found that about 7.8% of a Norwegian sample met BWAS criteria for work addiction. Their research frames workaholism using Griffiths' (2005) behavioral addiction model, which identifies seven core components shared across addictive behaviors. Cross-cultural validation studies (e.g., Orosz et al., 2016 in Hungary; Loscalzo & Giannini, 2018 in Italy) have confirmed the BWAS factor structure.
No. Research distinguishes between engaged workers who love their jobs and workaholics who feel compelled to work. The key difference is compulsion: workaholics work because they feel they have to, not because they want to. Schaufeli et al. (2008) showed that workaholism correlates with burnout and poor health, while work engagement correlates with wellbeing — even when both groups work similar hours.
Understanding This Assessment
This assessment is informed by the Bergen Work Addiction Scale (BWAS) framework published by Andreassen et al. (2012). Our items are independently written to measure the same seven addiction components. Here's what you should know:
This is an educational self-reflection tool based on published research. It is not a clinical diagnosis. "Work addiction" is not currently recognized as a formal disorder in psychiatric diagnostic manuals like the DSM-5. A high score indicates patterns that researchers associate with workaholism, but only a qualified professional can properly evaluate your situation.
The original BWAS was developed by Cecilie Schou Andreassen and colleagues at the University of Bergen, published in Scandinavian Journal of Psychology (2012). Our assessment uses independently written items that measure the same seven addiction components identified in their research: salience, tolerance, mood modification, relapse, withdrawal, conflict, and problems. We are not affiliated with the original authors.
If your work habits are causing significant distress, affecting your relationships, or harming your physical or mental health, consider speaking with a mental health professional. A therapist or counselor can help you understand what's driving your work patterns and develop healthier approaches.