Workaholism Scale

Workaholism scales measure the addiction-like compulsion to work — the tendency to work excessively hard combined with an inner, hard-to-resist drive to keep working. Janet Spence and Ann Robbins introduced the first systematic measure, the Workaholism Battery (WorkBAT), in 1992, defining workaholism through the components of work involvement, drive, and (low) work enjoyment, and distinguishing genuine workaholics from enthusiastic work enthusiasts. Schaufeli, Shimazu, and Taris later developed and validated the Dutch Work Addiction Scale (DUWAS), a parsimonious two-factor measure of working excessively and working compulsively, tested across the Netherlands and Japan. A central purpose of these instruments is to separate workaholism — a compulsive, strain-producing pattern — from work engagement, the positive, energizing involvement with work. The scales link the workaholic pattern to burnout, impaired health, and work-life conflict.