Empathos

Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL v5)

The Professional Quality of Life Scale, version 5 (ProQOL 5), is a 30-item measure for helping professionals. It looks at compassion satisfaction (the fulfillment of helping others) and at two parts of compassion fatigue: burnout and secondary traumatic stress. About 6 minutes.

When you help people you have direct contact with their lives. As you may have found, your compassion for those you help can affect you in positive and negative ways. Below are some questions about your experiences, both positive and negative, as a helper. Consider each of the following questions about you and your current work situation. Select the number that honestly reflects how frequently you experienced these things in the last 30 days. © 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.
Question 1 of 30
I am happy.
Question 2 of 30
I am preoccupied with more than one person I help.
Question 3 of 30
I get satisfaction from being able to help people.
Question 4 of 30
I feel connected to others.
Question 5 of 30
I jump or am startled by unexpected sounds.
Question 6 of 30
I feel invigorated after working with those I help.
Question 7 of 30
I find it difficult to separate my personal life from my life as a helper.
Question 8 of 30
I am not as productive at work because I am losing sleep over traumatic experiences of a person I help.
Question 9 of 30
I think that I might have been affected by the traumatic stress of those I help.
Question 10 of 30
I feel trapped by my job as a helper.
Question 11 of 30
Because of my helping, I have felt "on edge" about various things.
Question 12 of 30
I like my work as a helper.
Question 13 of 30
I feel depressed because of the traumatic experiences of the people I help.
Question 14 of 30
I feel as though I am experiencing the trauma of someone I have helped.
Question 15 of 30
I have beliefs that sustain me.
Question 16 of 30
I am pleased with how I am able to keep up with helping techniques and protocols.
Question 17 of 30
I am the person I always wanted to be.
Question 18 of 30
My work makes me feel satisfied.
Question 19 of 30
I feel worn out because of my work as a helper.
Question 20 of 30
I have happy thoughts and feelings about those I help and how I could help them.
Question 21 of 30
I feel overwhelmed because my case load seems endless.
Question 22 of 30
I believe I can make a difference through my work.
Question 23 of 30
I avoid certain activities or situations because they remind me of frightening experiences of the people I help.
Question 24 of 30
I am proud of what I can do to help.
Question 25 of 30
As a result of my helping, I have intrusive, frightening thoughts.
Question 26 of 30
I feel "bogged down" by the system.
Question 27 of 30
I have thoughts that I am a "success" as a helper.
Question 28 of 30
I can't recall important parts of my work with trauma victims.
Question 29 of 30
I am a very caring person.
Question 30 of 30
I am happy that I chose to do this work.

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© 2026 Nora Markarian, LMHC, NCC — Empathos Mental Health Counseling
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