MBI-3 Burnout Score Calculator

Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI)

Christina Maslach and Susan Jackson published the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) in 1981 to measure occupational burnout. It looks at three subscales rather than one number: Emotional Exhaustion (EE), Depersonalization, sometimes called cynicism (DP), and Personal Accomplishment (PA). You rate each item from 0–6 by how often you feel that way, then read each subscale total on its own. There is no combined overall score to report.

A textbook burnout pattern shows high EE + high DP + low PA. The WHO lists burnout in ICD-11 (code QD85) as an occupational phenomenon, not as a medical disease. Treat the result here as a screening signal. It does not stand in for a proper assessment by a physician or psychologist.

Applications

Occupational health programs lean on it for screening, and it shows up most often with healthcare staff, teachers and emergency services. Carlotto & Camara validated a Brazilian version in 2008, and the instrument feeds into NR-1 assessments (Programa de Gestao de Riscos Psicossociais). When burnout is work-related, it is also reportable to e-Social.

FAQ

Why three separate scores instead of one? Burnout has more than one dimension. Someone can be worn out yet still feel they're doing good work, and someone else can turn cynical without being exhausted at all. Roll those into a single number and you lose both pictures.

Is burnout a disease? No. ICD-11 files QD85 as an “occupational phenomenon” rather than a mental disorder. In practice it often travels alongside depression or anxiety, and those carry their own diagnoses.

Which MBI version should I use? Pick MBI-HSS if you work in healthcare, MBI-ES if you teach, and MBI-GS for jobs that don't fit either bucket. The version you choose sets how the items are worded and which validated cut-offs apply.