Burnout (MBI)

What the MBI measures

Occupational burnout is not merely "being tired." According to Dr. Christina Maslach, burnout is a psychological syndrome resulting from chronic interpersonal and operational stressors on the job. The World Health Organization (WHO) formally recognizes burnout in the ICD-11 based on this exact three-dimensional model. It is distinct from depression because it is specifically tied to the occupational environment.

The dimensions it assesses

• Emotional Exhaustion (EE): The core feature of burnout. Feelings of being emotionally overextended, depleted of one's emotional resources, and experiencing chronic fatigue.
• Depersonalization / Cynicism (DP): A negative, callous, or excessively detached response to various aspects of the job, specifically toward clients, patients, or colleagues. Viewing people as "problems" rather than humans.
• Reduced Personal Accomplishment (PA): A decline in one's feelings of competence and successful achievement in one's work. A pervasive sense of inadequacy and futility.

What to do with your result

1. High Emotional Exhaustion (EE): If EE is the only high score, the primary issue is workload and lack of recovery. Intervention must focus on strict boundaries: no emails after 6 PM, mandated PTO, and load-balancing with the team.
2. High Depersonalization (Cynicism): This is a toxic coping mechanism to distance oneself from the emotional pain of the job. It often signals a mismatch between the worker's values and the organization's actions (moral injury). A role change or company change is often required.
3. Low Personal Accomplishment (Inefficacy): If PA is low, the worker feels useless. Intervention requires immediate, positive feedback loops from management. The worker needs a "quick win" and explicit recognition of their value to restore their sense of agency.

Common questions about the MBI

What does the MBI measure?

Measurement of occupational burnout as a three-dimensional syndrome.

Can the MBI diagnose me?

No. Burnout (MBI) is a screening questionnaire, not a diagnostic tool. It can flag that something may need a closer look. It cannot tell you what is causing it. It describes tendencies rather than diagnosing anything, and no result here is a condition or something to fix.

Is this MBI test really free?

Yes. No account, no email address, no payment. Psychometrics Today is funded by donations rather than advertising, which is also what allows us to publish instruments whose authors permit free but non-commercial use.

Are my answers stored or shared?

No. Your answers are scored inside your browser and never sent to us. There is no database of responses, because we never receive any. Closing the tab erases them, which is why results cannot be recovered afterwards.

How often should I retake the MBI?

Traits and preferences move slowly, so retaking this every few months is more informative than retaking it often. Larger shifts usually follow a genuine change in circumstances.

How accurate is the MBI?

Screening questionnaires are good at flagging that something merits attention and poor at establishing what it is. This one is sensitive to how you feel on the day you take it, and many instruments were validated on narrow populations whose cut-offs may not transfer cleanly to everyone. The references at the foot of this page are the primary sources.

Why can I not take the MBI here?

Sold per-administration. Mind Garden actively enforces its copyright. We will not reproduce a questionnaire we have no right to reproduce, so this page explains what it measures instead. Use the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI) or the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) — both free for research use — to measure burnout.