© B. Hudnall Stamm, 2009-2012. Professional Quality of Life: Compassion Satisfaction and Fatigue Version 5 (ProQOL). www.proqol.org. This test
may be freely copied as long as (a) author is credited, (b) no changes are made, and (c) it is not sold.
Those interested in using the test should visit
www.proqol.org to verify that the copy they are using is the most current version of the test.
2
YOUR SCORES ON THE PROQOL: PROFESSIONAL QUALITY OF LIFE SCREENING
Based on your responses, place your personal scores below. If you have any concerns, you should discuss them with a
physical or mental health care professional.
Compassion Satisfaction _____________
Compassion satisfaction is about the pleasure you derive from being able to do your work well. For example, you may feel
like it is a pleasure to help others through your work. You may feel positively about your colleagues or your ability to
contribute to the work setting or even the greater good of society. Higher scores on this scale represent a greater
satisfaction related to your ability to be an effective caregiver in your job.
The average score is 50 (SD 10; alpha scale reliability .88). About 25% of people score higher than 57 and about 25% of
people score below 43. If you are in the higher range, you probably derive a good deal of professional satisfaction from
your position. If your scores are below 40, you may either find problems with your job, or there may be some other
reason—for example, you might derive your satisfaction from activities other than your job.
Burnout_____________
Most people have an intuitive idea of what burnout is. From the research perspective, burnout is one of the elements of
Compassion Fatigue (CF). It is associated with feelings of hopelessness and difficulties in dealing with work or in doing your
job effectively. These negative feelings usually have a gradual onset. They can reflect the feeling that your efforts make no
difference, or they can be associated with a very high workload or a non-supportive work environment. Higher scores on
this scale mean that you are at higher risk for burnout.
The average score on the burnout scale is 50 (SD 10; alpha scale reliability .75). About 25% of people score above 57 and
about 25% of people score below 43. If your score is below 43, this probably reflects positive feelings about your ability to
be effective in your work. If you score above 57 you may wish to think about what at work makes you feel like you are not
effective in your position. Your score may reflect your mood; perhaps you were having a “bad day” or are in need of some
time off. If the high score persists or if it is reflective of other worries, it may be a cause for concern.
Secondary Traumatic Stress_____________
The second component of Compassion Fatigue (CF) is secondary traumatic stress (STS). It is about your work related,
secondary exposure to extremely or traumatically stressful events. Developing problems due to exposure to other’s
trauma is somewhat rare but does happen to many people who care for those who have experienced extremely or
traumatically stressful events. For example, you may repeatedly hear stories about the traumatic things that happen to
other people, commonly called Vicarious Traumatization. If your work puts you directly in the path of danger, for example,
field work in a war or area of civil violence, this is not secondary exposure; your exposure is primary. However, if you are
exposed to others’ traumatic events as a result of your work, for example, as a therapist or an emergency worker, this is
secondary exposure. The symptoms of STS are usually rapid in onset and associated with a particular event. They may
include being afraid, having difficulty sleeping, having images of the upsetting event pop into your mind, or avoiding things
that remind you of the event.
The average score on this scale is 50 (SD 10; alpha scale reliability .81). About 25% of people score below 43 and about
25% of people score above 57. If your score is above 57, you may want to take some time to think about what at work may
be frightening to you or if there is some other reason for the elevated score. While higher scores do not mean that you do
have a problem, they are an indication that you may want to examine how you feel about your work and your work
environment. You may wish to discuss this with your supervisor, a colleague, or a health care professional.
