About the test
Burnout test (CBI)
The Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) measures burnout as long-lasting physical and psychological exhaustion. Our free version gives you two scores from 0 to 100: one for exhaustion in general and one for exhaustion you link to your work, each compared with a Danish reference average. It describes how worn out you are, but it is not a diagnosis.
Questionnaire / instrument: CBI
The test at a glance
- Price
- Free, including your results
- Registration
- No account required
- Length
- 13 questions
- Time
- About 3 minutes
- Format
- Self-report · five response options
- Your report
- Two scores from 0 to 100
The two scores
We use two of the three parts of the original questionnaire. Your report shows them under these names:
Personal burnout
How tired and worn out you feel in general, whatever the cause. Six questions about tiredness, physical and emotional exhaustion, feeling worn out and feeling weak and susceptible to illness.
Work-related burnout
How much of your exhaustion you link to your work. Seven questions about whether work is emotionally exhausting or frustrating, feeling worn out after a working day and having energy left for family and friends.
What your results show
Your result is calculated as soon as you answer the last question. You can preview an example report before taking the test.
- A score from 0 to 100 for personal burnout and one for work-related burnout, each placed on three levels: low (under 25), moderate (25–49) and high (50 or more).
- A short explanation of what your level means for each score.
- The average in a Danish reference sample for comparison, about 33 for both scores.
- A reminder of what the scores cannot tell you, and advice on what you can do next.
What does it measure?
Personal exhaustion and exhaustion that you associate with work. The questionnaire separates general physical and psychological fatigue from work-related burnout.
Where does it come from?
The Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) was developed by Tage Kristensen and colleagues at the Danish National Institute of Occupational Health. We use its personal and work-related sections.
How is the result calculated?
Six personal and seven work-related items are converted to 0, 25, 50, 75 or 100 and averaged within each section, giving two scores from 0 to 100. One work item is reversed. Scores below 25 are shown as low, 25–49 as moderate and 50 or more as high; the split below 50 is our own. The third original section, client-related burnout, is not included.
What can the result tell you?
The scores describe exhaustion rather than diagnosing its cause. A score of 50 or more follows the high-burnout definition used in the PUMA study, not a universal diagnostic boundary. Reference comparisons use Danish samples and may not generalize to your circumstances.
Languages and adaptations
English follows the original CBI manual. Traditional Chinese, Korean, Spanish, French and Brazilian Portuguese use published translations, and Italian and Indonesian use published wording for the questions. German, Swedish, Norwegian and Russian combine questions or answer scales from published sources, such as the Norwegian and Swedish COPSOQ III, with our own AI-assisted translation. Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Dutch and Polish are AI-assisted translations. Combined and AI-assisted versions have not been independently validated.
Frequently asked questions
Is the burnout test free?
Yes. You can answer the questions and read the full result without paying or creating an account.
Can this test tell me whether I have burnout?
No. The CBI measures how exhausted you are and how much of it you link to work. It does not diagnose an illness or explain the cause. Exhaustion can also come from sleep problems, physical illness or depression, so it is worth talking to your doctor if it lasts.
What do the scores mean?
Each score runs from 0 to 100, where higher means more exhaustion. In the Danish research behind the questionnaire, 50 or more counts as a high degree of burnout. We call scores under 25 low and 25–49 moderate; that split is our own and not part of the original scoring. The levels are guides, not diagnostic boundaries.
Who am I compared with?
Personal burnout is compared with a representative sample of 1,498 Danes aged 20–59, who averaged 32.7. Work-related burnout is compared with employees in the Danish PUMA study, who averaged 33.0. Both are shown rounded to 33. Danish workers may differ from you in job, culture and circumstances, so treat the comparison as a rough guide.
What if I am not working right now?
The work-related questions assume you have a job, and the questionnaire is meant for people who work. If you are not working, the personal burnout score is the one that applies to you. The third part of the original CBI, about burnout from work with clients, is not included.
How is burnout different from depression?
Burnout as measured by the CBI is mainly about exhaustion. Depression also involves low mood and loss of interest or pleasure. They often overlap, so if you also feel down or have lost interest in things, the depression test (PHQ-9) can be a useful next step, and your doctor can help you sort out what is going on.
How should I answer the questions?
Answer for how you usually feel at the moment, not on one unusually good or bad day. Most questions ask how often something happens; three of the work questions ask to what degree. There are no right or wrong answers.
License and reuse
Copenhagen Burnout InventoryThe CBI was developed as a freely available alternative to commercial burnout questionnaires. We credit Kristensen and colleagues and the Danish National Institute of Occupational Health. The linked manual documents the instrument and scoring; it does not specify a standard Creative Commons license.
The terms below apply to the test materials. Articles, translations, software and our result descriptions may have separate terms.
Sources and further reading
Kristensen, T. S., Borritz, M., Villadsen, E., & Christensen, K. B. (2005). The Copenhagen Burnout Inventory: A new tool for the assessment of burnout. Work & Stress, 19(3), 192–207.