Orientation to the demands of ministry: Construct validity and relationship with burnout
Miner, Maureen Sterland, Sam Dowson, Martin
Miner, Maureen
Sterland, Sam
Dowson, Martin
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Author
Miner, Maureen
Sterland, Sam
Dowson, Martin
Sterland, Sam
Dowson, Martin
Abstract
This study investigates a new understanding of clergy burnout based on the proposed psychological consequences of secularization. A new construct, internal orientation to ministry, was hypothesized to be associated with clergy burnout and distress. A sample of 262 Protestant ministers in Australia completed measures of burnout, anxiety, depression, religious self-esteem and religious problem-solving, as well as the Orientations to the Demands of Ministry Survey (ODM-S), which was developed to assess internal orientations towards ministry demands in a secularized society. Correlations with other religious measures supported the construct validity of the ODM-S. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses showed that a weak internal ministry orientation was a significant predictor of burnout, depression and anxiety over and above the effects of key demographic and other religious measures. Together, the results of the study highlight the role of a weak internal orientation to ministry as a psychologically "toxic" response to the undermining social forces of secularization.
Keywords
Burnout, Pastors, Clergy, Secularization, Self esteem, Depressive disorders, Churches, Psychology of religion, Anxiety, Locus of control
Date
2009
Type
Journal article
Journal
Review of Religious Research
Book
Volume
50
Issue
4
Page Range
463-479