COPSOQ
Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ)
The COPSOQ is a validated tool that assesses psychosocial risks at work, measuring dimensions such as stress, autonomy, or social support. It identifies sources of distress or well-being at work through scales that can be adapted to different contexts. Its use facilitates targeted interventions to improve quality of working life and prevent mental health risks.
- Number of questions
- 46 questions
- Estimated duration
- 11 minutes
- Language
- English
- Original name
- Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire
- Target audience
- Adults
- Authors
- N. Kristensen, H. Hannerz, K. Borg (2001)
- Category
- Burnout, Work-related distress
Preview of the 46 questions
Scoring & interpretation
Scoring
Demands at work
Quantitative demands (Problem): 87.5% ⚠
French mean: 46% (standard deviation: 21)
Work pace (Problem): 50%
French mean: 65% (standard deviation: 19)
Cognitive demands (Problem): 62.5%
French mean: - (standard deviation: -)
Work organization and leadership
Predictability (Resource): 50%
French mean: 54% (standard deviation: 20)
Recognition (Resource): 75%
French mean: 64% (standard deviation: 20)
Justice (Resource): 75%
French mean: 64% (standard deviation: 20)
Role clarity (Resource): 87.5%
French mean: 71% (standard deviation: 17)
Role conflicts (Problem): 12.5%
French mean: - (standard deviation: -)
Quality of leadership (Resource): 62.5%
French mean: 61% (standard deviation: 21)
Support from supervisor (Resource): 0% ⚠
French mean: 64% (standard deviation: 23)
Trust in management (Resource): 62.5%
French mean: 66% (standard deviation: 21)
Relations with colleagues
Trust among colleagues (Resource): 50% ⚠
French mean: 69% (standard deviation: 17)
Support from colleagues (Resource): 50%
French mean: 61% (standard deviation: 20)
Autonomy
Influence at work (Resource): 75%
French mean: 52% (standard deviation: 19)
Possibilities for development (Resource): 50%
French mean: 64% (standard deviation: 19)
Health and well-being
Self-rated health (Resource): 25%
French mean: 33% (standard deviation: 21)
Stress (Problem): 100% ⚠
French mean: 39% (standard deviation: 19)
Burnout (Problem): 87.5% ⚠
French mean: 38% (standard deviation: 21)
Emotional demands (Problem): 0%
French mean: 37% (standard deviation: 20)
Work-life conflict (Problem): 87.5% ⚠
French mean: 42% (standard deviation: 29)
Job insecurity (Problem): 25%
French mean: - (standard deviation: -)
Experience of work
Meaning of work (Resource): 37.5% ⚠
French mean: 71% (standard deviation: 18)
Commitment to the workplace (Resource): 75%
French mean: 65% (standard deviation: 19)
Job satisfaction (Resource): 100%
French mean: 64% (standard deviation: 19)
Demands at work
No unfavorable deviationUnfavorable deviationNo published norm
COPSOQ publishes no clinical cutoff: a deviation from the French norm is flagged when a resource falls below the landmark or a problem rises above it. Scales with no published French mean stay neutral.
Work organization and leadership
No unfavorable deviationUnfavorable deviationNo published norm
Relations with colleagues
No unfavorable deviationUnfavorable deviation
COPSOQ publishes no clinical cutoff: a deviation from the French norm is flagged when a resource falls below the landmark or a problem rises above it.
Autonomy
No unfavorable deviationUnfavorable deviation
Health and well-being
No unfavorable deviationUnfavorable deviationNo published norm
COPSOQ publishes no clinical cutoff: a deviation from the French norm is flagged when a resource falls below the landmark or a problem rises above it. Scales with no published French mean stay neutral.
Experience of work
No unfavorable deviationUnfavorable deviation
COPSOQ publishes no clinical cutoff: a deviation from the French norm is flagged when a resource falls below the landmark or a problem rises above it.
The COPSOQ scoring system relies on a standardized methodology for assessing psychosocial dimensions at work. Each dimension is measured by several items, usually on a 5-point Likert scale (for example, from “Always” to “Never”). To calculate a dimension's score, the scores of its items are averaged, after applying the necessary reversals for positively worded questions within negative scales. For example, for the “Workload” dimension, the item “Do you have enough time?” must be reversed before calculation because its positive wording contradicts the negative orientation of the dimension.
Raw scores are then transformed onto a scale from 0 to 100 to facilitate comparisons. Interpretation depends on the nature of the dimension: a high score indicates increased risk for negative dimensions (such as stress or workload), whereas it reflects a protective resource for positive dimensions (such as autonomy or social support).
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