A tool that measures workaholism has found that 8.3 per cent of the Norwegian work force is addicted to work to the point where it becomes a health issue.
Researchers from the University of Bergen in Norway used the Bergen Work Addiction Scale (BWAS), a workaholism instrument that is based on core symptoms found in more traditional drug addictions; ie, salience, mood modification, tolerance, withdrawal symptoms, conflict, relapse, problems.
It assesses workaholism based on seven criteria. If the person taking the test replies 'often' or 'always' to at least four of these seven criteria, it is some indication that they may be a workaholic.
Postdoctoral Fellow Cecilie Schou Andreassen and colleagues from the Department of Psychosocial Science used the criteria to assess workaholism in a nationally representative sample.
"We did find that younger adults were affected to a greater extent than older workers. However, workaholism seems unrelated to gender, education level, marital status or part-time versus full-time employment," said Andreassen.
Those with caretaker responsibility for children living at home were more likely to be affected than those without children.