Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Clergy burnout'

The purpose of the current phenomenological research was to explore the burnout experiences of Assemblies of God clergy in the United States in order to identify the stressors associated with burnout and what strategies participants used to cope with burnout. The current study also focused on what participants considered to be effective types of support and resources church and denominational leaders can provide to help clergy who are experiencing burnout, and what types of support and resources church and denominational leaders can provide to help prevent clergy burnout. The researcher interviewed 21 participants who reside in Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, and Texas. The researcher recorded and transcribed interviews, coded responses of the participants into categories, analyzed the data, and identified 26 findings that emerged from common themes. Participants described their experiences with burnout in terms of emotional, physical, and relational concerns, identified stressors that contributed to their burnout, and described coping strategies they found to be effective in dealing with burnout. Findings included participants’ dependence on prayer, Bible reading, developing relationships with colleagues, hobbies, exercise, and taking time off as coping strategies for burnout. The researcher determined 15 conclusions that resulted in 11 recommendations for clergy, six recommendations for church leaders, four recommendations for denominational leaders, and five recommendations for future researchers. The researcher attempted to fill a gap in the literature regarding burnout among Assemblies of God clergy.

Keywords: Clergy burnout, Stressors, Coping strategies, Phenomenological, Qualitative.

The purpose of writing Pastoral Health and Burnout: Spiritual Maturity, Emotional Health, and Physical Environment is to integrate biblical and psychological insights to test three suspected factors of burnout among senior pastors. This is accomplished through the creation of the Ream Pastoral Health Scale (RPHS), a 60-question Likert scale survey designed to assess the health of a senior pastor according to spiritual maturity, emotional health, and physical environment. The RPHS was validated using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). The MBI is a nationally recognized assessment tool for measuring burnout in the secular word. Eighty-three Christian and Missionary Alliance senior pastors from various districts in the United States were surveyed with the Ream Pastoral Health Scale and the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Strong correlations were found between the RPHS and the MBI.

Leading the Church of God as an elder can be exhausting to body and soul. The challenges of pastoral leadership wear out and wear down the best of men. When these leaders find themselves unable to continue to provide healthy leadership, they may be experiencing vocational burnout. This project seeks to equip church leaders with the skills to resist burnout and build resilience.

The project director reviewed an extensive amount of literature, both from the secular and sacred communities, to develop insight into the nature of burnout and the practices that prevent burnout and encourage personal and professional health. The director's studies produced a working definition of burnout and self-care. Readers will find an extensive description of burnout's symptoms and stages. In the area of self-care, readers will discover a special emphasis on the common demands and pressures faced by pastors along with a variety of insights from ministry experts on best practices to ensure a whole-personed experience of health. The director's summary of his findings is published in appendix E, "A Pastor's Manual for Resisting Burnout and Building Resilience."

This resilience, built into the body and soul, provides a reservoir of physical and spiritual health that blesses the pastor personally, relationally, and professionally. These practices deepen the pastor's life, protects the pastor's family, and increases the quality and longevity of his pastoral ministry. Pastors who practice biblically wise self-care can resist burnout, build resilience, and set a God-honoring example to those they lead.

Not much research regarding burnout amongst clergy in South Africa has been done. Recently a shift in the direction of positive psychology or salutogenesis took place and which highlighted two relatively new constructs, namely sense of coherence and engagement. Previous research in the "Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk" (NG Church) found a correlation between sense of coherence and burnout. In the "Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika" (NH Church) however, no research regarding burnout within a salutogenic paradigm was ever done. The general objective of this research was to determine the levels and relationship of sense of coherence, coping, burnout and engagement amongst ministers of the NH Church. A cross-sectional research design was used. The Orientation to Life Questionnaire (OLQ), COPE-Questionnaire (COPE), Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) were used as measuring instruments on a stratified random (proportional) sample (n = 200) of ministers of the NH Church and from which 87 useable responses were received. Structural equation modelling was applied on the MBI-HSS to confirm a three-factor model with best fit. Cronbach alpha coefficients, inter-item correlation coefficients and factor analysis were used to determine the reliability and validity of the measuring instruments. Descriptive statistics, Pearson-product correlation coefficients, canonical correlation coefficients, and analysis of variance were used to analyse the data. The results showed that high levels of sense of coherence, approach coping and high levels of engagement are related to low levels of burnout, while venting of emotions are related to high levels of burnout. It was also found that sense of coherence and coping predicted emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and personal accomplishment. Furthermore, it was found that levels of emotional exhaustion for ministers in the age group 25-29, were consistently lower than that of any other age group in the sample, while levels for the age group 50-65 were also lower than that for ministers in the age groups 30-39 and 40-49, but still higher than levels for age group 25-29. Limitations of the study and recommendations regarding the organisation and future research were indicated.
Thesis (MA (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

Protestant pastors in America are leaders who provide guidance in spiritual matters to millions of people. The demands of their work can be stressful and overwhelming, leading to burnout. Burnout results in some pastors leaving their leadership positions, which has a negative impact on the members of the congregation as well as the pastors themselves. This study's goal was to determine the perceived needs of pastors, in order to prevent burnout, and the kinds of resources they perceive would best meet their needs. This study utilized a qualitative approach in the collection, description, and analysis of data. The results revealed pastors feel over-extended and face unrealistic expectations in their work. Support systems, such as clergy groups may be helpful in combating these. Taking time off, spiritual renewal practices, and exercise are some important practices many of the pastors in this study agreed would be beneficial as well.
Fisher Institute for Wellness and Gerontology

After 30 plus years of research, clergy burnout is an ongoing concern; as such, it is important to identify the causes of this phenomenon. Researchers have already demonstrated that internal factors such as personality types, personal mastery, or conflict management and external factors such as role conflict, excessive activities, or unrealistic expectations, can lead to burnout. The problem that led to this study was that more exploration is needed about clergy's perceptions on leadership and burnout within the church. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore clergy within the Wesleyan Church in the Midwest to discover their perceptions about leadership and burnout within the church. The conceptual framework was shaped by the great man theory of leadership and Maslach's burnout theory. The central research question for this study focused on clergy's perceptions about leadership and burnout within the church. Data were collected using face-to-face semistructured interviews with 23 pastors who are currently leading and experiencing burnout. Data collected included transcribed interviews, field notes, and observations. Data were hand-coded to find key concepts and themes. Two themes that emerged from the data were leadership is understood as hierarchical and leadership is understood as the work of solo actors, which were consistent with the great man theory of leadership. The results of this study may contribute to a better understanding of the factors that lead to clergy burnout. The results of this study will address a gap in literature and may result in positive social change for both the clergy and church congregants because the results can be used to come up with solutions for burnout. This study may also lead to new theories about clergy burnout.

This dissertation studies the outcomes that higher education courses and seminars in stress management have on the stress levels of pastors. It identifies stress level differences between a sample of pastors who have and who have not been trained in stress management. The instrument that was used to assess the levels of stress was the Maslach Burnout Inventory. The Inventory is a twenty-two item dual-rating instrument that measures the frequency and intensity of three aspects of the burnout syndrome: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a lack of personal accomplishment. Demographic questions were used to determine the respondents' sex, age, education, and experience in the clergy. These questions were asked for descriptive purposes only. In addition, questions were asked that would determine whether or not the pastors had had stress management training.

Research among ministers showed that they are experiencing high levels of stress due to career demands and having to cope with problems on their own (Grosch & Olsen, 2000:260). This has a detrimental effect on their health (Andrew, 1997:SO). Participation in physical activity have positive effects on the physical and psychological well being. Physical activity decrease work stress and increase work satisfaction and -stamina (Dreyer & Strydom, 1992:28). The objectives of this study was to determine the profiles of physical activity participation and the incidence of stress symptoms in relation to congregation type and congregation size in ministers, as well as the influence of physical activity on the relationship between stress symptoms and congregation demography (type and size). Congregation demography was divided into congregation type (location) as well as congregation size (number of church members). In this study a single cross sectional design that has been based on an availability profile has been used. The subjects were 340 ministers of the Dutch Reformed Church, who volunteered to participate in the study. The quality of participation in physical activity was determined with Sharkey's (1997:432) physical activity index The incidence of stress symptoms was determined with Burn's (1988) stress index and the congregation demography was determined by a self-reported questionnaire. The data was analysed by means of a one-way analysis of variance. From the data it is clear that the majority of the respondents were physically inactive and have a low incidence of stress symptoms in relation to congregation demography. The results of the stress symptoms may be attributed to the fact that religion and belief in God may play a vital role in the management of stress. Physical activity participation indicated a statistical significant (p≤0.05) influence on the relationship between stress symptoms and congregation demography. A highly practical significant difference (ES≥0.8) existed between high active and low active ministers working in congregations in rural areas. Physical activity participation also showed a moderate practical significant influence (ES≥0.5) on the relationship between stress symptoms and congregation demography (type and size). It was concluded that physical activity presented a salutogenic effect on psychological well-being among ministers and that congregation demography can influence physical and psycho-emotional health threats of Dutch Reformed ministers.
Thesis (M.A. (Human Movement Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

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Fundação Porticus
This research has its main objetive do verify if and how the stress and the burnout phenomena are present in catholic priests who are in charge of the formation of the catholic clergy in Brazil. It tries to describe in a positive way the stressors that are characteristics of the tension situations of this special group. At the same time it aims to find out what are the strategies used by this group in order to cope with the problems they find in their everyday activity as priests and formators. The research is based in three very well known and used instruments which are adequately adapted for the group under investigation: the IBM of C. Maslach, the Inventory of Coping Strategies of Lazarus and Folkman and the Inventory of Stresses (ISSL) of the brazilian researcher M. Lipp. The two firt instruments wer submitted to a factor analysis and different statistical comparisons between the results were made and analysed. Besides that the researcher created a special Questionnaire in order to find out what are the really causes of stress in concrete situation of the houses of formation. In the first chapter the author presents the theoretical aspects of the question under discussion; in chapter two the results of the factorial analysis and of the correlations founded are presented; in the last chapter the autor comments and analyses those results. In the conclusion the strategies for coping with the difficulties indicated by the formators are listed
A presente pesquisa tem como finalidade verificar como o stress e o burnout se dão em sacerdotes que atuam na formação do futuro clero. Busca individuar e descrever de maneira positiva os estressores que caracterizam as situações de tensão próprias desse grupo, além de individuar as estratégias de enfrentamento por ele usadas. Para tanto, foram validadas para essa população três escalas de largo uso na pesquisa: o Inventário de Sintomas de Stress para Adultos de Lipp (ISSL); Inventário de Maslach de Burnout (MBI) e Inventário de Estratégias de Coping, de Folkman e Lazarus. Estas três escalas foram aplicadas e validadas em dois grupos distintos de sacerdotes. Os resultados de cada uma dessas amostragens foram submetidos a análises fatoriais distintas. Por razões de acesso mais fácil à população em estudo, foi usada na pesquisa apenas a segunda amostragem (a dos formadores). Esta amostragem foi constituída por 103 padres formadores. Visando complementar qualitativamente os dados, foi aplicado a esse mesmo grupo um questionário mais qualitativo elaborado pela pesquisadora, o Questionário de Avaliação de Estressores, de Morais. O conjunto de todos esses dados foi tabulado e analisado, usando-se para tanto testes não paramétricos e cruzamento entre as escalas. Detectaram-se diferenças significativas em correlações de vários tipos, seja quanto stress (exaustão emocional, despersonalização), seja quanto aos fatores de coping, indicados pela Escala de Lazarus e Folkman. Correlações positivas significativas foram encontradas nestas categorias: confronto e despersonalização, sintomas físicos e sintomas psicológicos de stress; afastamento e exaustão emocional; e sintomas psicológicos de stress; fuga e esquiva e despersonalização; exaustão emocional e sintomas físicos e sintomas psicológicos, despersonalização e sintomas físicos e psicológicos de stress; realização profissional e sintomas físicos de stress apresentaram uma correlação negativa. O questionário da autora desta pesquisa sobre os estressores do cotidiano mostrou que o encaminhamento do formando de volta para sua família é o maior estressor, já o ambiente de trabalho na casa de formação é o menor causador de stress para os padres formadores. Na conclusão, são apontadas as estratégias de maior êxito no enfrentamento das dificuldades dos presbíteros com relação às suas atividades diárias

After the committing of an error or transgression, some people are prone to experience shame (they feel badly about themselves) and some are prone to experience guilt (they tend to feel badly about their action or inaction). Although a sizable number of researchers have examined how shame and guilt relate to distress or health, the field knows very little about whether persons are more prone to shame or whether shame is more strongly associated with distress when the error is particularly relevant to the offender's sense of self. The current research aims to address this significant gap in the literature.

One domain in which people's self-view and sense of worth is often heightened is their work or vocation. Clergy have been shown to collapse who they are with what they do or are called to do in their role as pastor. Therefore, a measure that uses failures that clergy may experience in their role was created to examine how this domain specific shame and guilt relate to general shame and guilt, positive and negative affect, and clergy burnout.

Student pastors generated items for the new scale of domain specific shame and guilt. Seminary students completed questionnaires online and were asked to complete the new measure again one month later to establish test-retest reliability. Factor analyses were run to examine the structure of the shame and guilt scales. A secondary factor analysis found that the four guilt factors all loaded onto one second-order factor and the three shame factors all loaded onto another second-order factor. Cronbach's alpha and test-retest reliability were strong. Construct validity was established. Next, United Methodist clergy completed measure by pen and paper or online.

Overall the data demonstrate that higher shame, both in ministry situations and in secular situations, was significantly associated with higher negative affect among seminarians and less satisfaction and more emotional exhaustion in ministry among clergy. Contrary to expectations, seminarians and clergy were not more prone to ministry shame nor was ministry shame more strongly associated with clergy burnout than was general proneness to shame.

Dissertation

The hypothesis that underpins this dissertation is that a holistic helping model relevant to addressing Burnout in the ministry needs to have as its major focus, the prevention of Burnout. Adequate internal and external supports need to be in place to act as buffers and mitigate against the unique stressors of ministry. A reactive response, seeking to address the consequences of Burnout is considered an inadequate response. Preventative measu res are viewed as far more effective and desirable. Recently the writer's car engine overheated. The problem began in an insignificant way, a rubber hosepipe began to perish, nobody noticed . Eventually under constant and intense pressure from superheated water flowing powerfully through the engine's cooling system, the hosepipe burst. It only took a few moments for the engine to overheat, causing serious damage. The cost of replacing the rubber hose would have been under one hundred rand. The labour time would have been under a half an hour. To repair the damaged engine after the pipe had burst and the engine had overheated cost thousands and the labour took several days. To repair or heal a person is far more complex and not always possible. When the stressors build up and nobody appears to notice or care, when the person is unable to diagnose for themselves, that they are near to breakdown or Burnout. When the person does not know who, what or where to turn to , and when the person has inadequate internal and external coping mechanisms - this type of emotional breakdown is far more serious than any burst pipe. Unlike in the example above some things cannot be repaired. Therefore the emphasis needs to be on preventing the ' hosepipe from ever perishing '. In the writer's opinion the many stressors that are common to ministry can become so overwhelming that breakdown or Burnout become a real possibility . Adequate internal and ext ernal coping mechanisms can be effective buffers to prevent such stressors becoming catastrophic. To ascerta in how serious the problem of stress is and its main consequence in the context of th is dissertat ion, Burnout, twenty of the fifty active Methodist ministers in the Nat al West District were asked to participate in a study. All twenty received the Burnout Inventory found in Appendix B of this document . The ministers approached were select ed in order to adequately represent a cross - section of the Meth odist Ministers in the District. A fair representation of gender, race and age were key considerations. The respondents were however, all white ministers, men and women, many of whom had worked in cross - cultural contexts. The available experts in the field, the woman psychologist , the professor and the minister with a history of successful cross - cultural work, were also white. In the writer's opinion black academics in the Methodist Church have focused more upon social issues and issues of social justice, than intrapersonal or psychological stresses with in the ministers themselves. This dissertation is therefore the outcome of mainly the experiences and insights of white ministers and therefore its response to the impact of Burnout among black Methodist ministers is limited. The ministers were asked to indicate which, if any of the twenty four responses that make up the Burnout Inventory, they agreed with. The respondents were also asked to indicate their gender, age and race, but not to record their names to ensure confidentiality. The limited number of twenty was important as all who responded were given the opportunity, if they chose to, of discussing their responses with the writer in a confidential environment. Some of these responses, with the permission of the respondents, provide the personal insights on Burnout recorded in Chapter One (p13). Chapter One deals with the nature of stress and th e unique stressors of ministry. Chapters Two and Three are in the writer 's opinion vital, in that in addition to the unique stressors common to all who minister, the specific stress of cross - cultural ministry is considered in Chapter Two. In Chapter Three the complexities of being a woman in ministry are discussed with reference to facing the sin of patriarchy. Both Chapter Two and Chapter Three have suggested Models presented at the end of each to address the very specific stressors people who engage in cross - cultural ministry and women who minister encounter. In Chapter Four the Burnout of the Prophet Elijah is discussed and a Holistic model towards the prevention of Burnout in the ministry is proposed . This model is called the Tripod model. Six in - depth interviews are recorded. In Chapter Two an Indian pastor suggests insights into the traps and pitfalls associated with cross - cultural ministry . Two women ministers in Chapter Three, express their thoughts and experiences of being a woman in ministry and in Chapter Four three experts in the field of ministry Burnout are interviewed, whose thoughts and ideas are integrated in order to develop the Tripod Model and the additional suggestions associated with a holistic model towards the prevention of Burnout in the ministry . What of the responses received? Is stress and Burn out really such a big issue? Is the ministry really so stressful? Five of the black ministers approached failed to respond. Fourteen of the fifteen responses received indicated that it really is a serious issue. Eight out of the fifteen indicated more than six areas of concern in the Burnout Inventory . Six out of the remaining seven indicated between two and five of the statements, questions were relevant to them and their experience of ministry . Only one, a woman minist er who was later interviewed in - depth and whose interview is recorded in Chapter Three, indicated none of the statements, questions as relevant to her life. The reason for this response is most surprising and totally unexpected. This dissertation focuses on a preventative model in relation to Burnout in the ministry. What of those who are experiencing or who have already Burned out? Is there hope? At the end of Chapter Four God's response to the prophet Elijah is considered and how God ministered to him to facilitate healing . This however is far from the ideal. When it comes to the concept of deep wounds to the human soul, prevention is most definitely preferable to cure.
Thesis (M.Th.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2002.

Ministering in the face of HIV and AIDS has posed many challenges. The work of ministers before HIV and AIDS experienced many problems which resulted in ministry burnout. HIV and AIDS have increased the demand for ministers because of the sick, the dying and the grieving people. The increase number of funerals means that a minister conducts many funerals over the weekend and sometimes during the week. This is not the only task of the minister; there are other duties such as house visitation, administration matters, counseling, Sunday services, confirmations and teachings in the church. Furthermore, ministers are often most intensively involved with people in times of crisis and distress. This research deals with the ways ministers are coping or not coping with ministry burnout which may be a result of ministering to people suffering from HIV and those dying of AIDS. This study recognises that an understanding of the minister's problems, as well as helping them to cope, by all who are involved in the church as a vocational system is necessary in the face of HIV and AIDS. The major beneficiary of care and support to ministers will be pastoral ministry itself and the church. Interest in this study therefore stems from both academic and pastoral concerns. Academically, one would like to see the discipline of pastoral care making a scientific and academic contribution that is capable of helping ministers. As for the pastoral concern, one believes that this study and similar studies are ways by which ministry can be strengthened and supported. There is need to equip the church to observe, listen to and respond to ministers in pain more knowledgeably and sympathetically. The researcher endeavours to describe these phenomena accurately through narrative type descriptions, interviews and pastoral conversations. Furthermore, Rediger created a model for avoiding burnout called AIM, which has led to a creation of a model to cope with ministry burnout in the face of HIV and AIDS, which is AIMS: A-Awareness, 1- Impose, M-Management, S-Support. The model has been created in the face of the emotional involvement of ministers in HIV and AIDS
Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.

碩士
國立中山大學
人力資源管理研究所
89
For recent years domestic economy is going down and down. From early 1990’s growing competitiveness caused by the openings of many new banks in the limited financial market lowers the profitability of banks. Moreover, the amount of over-due loan is increasing because of poor loan quality, moving-out of traditional industries and increasing unemployment rate. Under the impact of dramatic change of circumstances, the stress which clerks now under is growing. Former days the position of clerks is thought to be stable and well paid. Nowadays clerks, however, are under the threat of being laid-off and various uncertainties and apt to tiredness of job. Present investigation is trying to find out stress source of clerks. The relation between stress source with burnout and working attitude is also investigated to find out ways of releasing pressure, decreasing burnout and building-up good working attitude. Present investigation was accomplished through questionnaires. Major findings are the following: 1.Among the job characteristics, burnout is decreased with increasing working autonomy and task identity; increasing the skill variety, task significance and working feedback can prevent from decreasing professional efficacy in the burnout category. 2.Regarding role stress, increasing confliction, ambiguity, over-load (quantitative) and over-load (qualitative) tend to increase emotion exhaustion in the burnout category; increasing ambiguity enhances decreasing professional efficacy in the burnout category. 3.Maintaining better relationship with supervisor, colleague, subordinate and organization can restrain emotion exhaustion and professional efficacy decrease in the burnout category. 4.Regarding personality, emotion exhaustion and professional efficacy decrease in the burnout category can be decreased by type-A personality. 5.From aspect of job characteristics, service attitude can be improved by increasing working autonomy, task identity, skill variety, task significance and working feedback; resigning intention can be restrained by increasing working autonomy. 6.Regarding role stress, increasing ambiguity makes service attitude more poor; resigning intention is enhanced by increasing confliction, over-load (quantitative) and over-load (qualitative). 7.Maintaining better relationship with supervisor, colleague, subordinate and organization can enhance better service attitude; resigning intention is restrained. 8.Increasing emotion exhaustion in the burnout category enhances resigning intention. 9.Service attitude becomes poorer by more professional efficacy decrease. 10.Regarding stress source job characteristics, role stress and personal relationship have outstandingly direct effect on emotion exhaustion and professional efficacy decrease in the burnout category; burnout has distinctively direct effect on service attitude and resigning intention in the working attitude category. 11.From aspect of service attitude, task identity and task significance in the job characteristics category have mediating effect on burnout; As to resigning intention, working autonomy in the job characteristics category has mediating effect on burnout. 12.Burnout has mediating effect between roll stress and working attitude; from aspect of service attitude, there is no mediating effect between roll stress and burnout; from aspect of resigning intention, roll stress has mediating effect between roll conflict and burnout. 13.Burnout has mediating effect between personal relationship and working attitude; from aspect of service attitude, personal relation has mediating effect between relation with supervisor and burnout; from aspect of resigning intention, personal relation has no mediating effect between relation with supervisor and burnout. 14.Burnout has mediating effect between personality and working attitude; from aspect of service attitude, there is no mediating effect between Type-A personality and burnout; from aspect of resigning intention, there is mediating effect between Type-A personality and burnout.