A Meta-Analysis of Workaholism

This meta-analysis examines the relationship between workaholism and numerous work behaviors and outcomesin an attempt to a) derive a consensus regarding the current state of our understanding of this construct, and b)clarify the impact that the compulsion to work may have on an individual’s life. Overall, based on data from 44studies, results indicate that there is a considerable amount of variability between workaholism and work-relatedoutcomes. Specifically, the two most established and reputable measures of workaholism, the Work AddictionRisk Test (WART) and the Workaholism Battery (WorkBat), appear to focus on uniquely different aspects ofworkaholism and were subsequently found to be differentially related to various work criteria. These findingssuggest that a consistent definition and operationalization of workaholism is explicitly needed before furtherprogress can be made.