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Occupational Distress and Health among a Sample of Christian Clergy

June 2019
Pastoral Psychology 68(11)

Authors:

To examine the association between occupational distress, physical and mental health, and health behaviors among clergy, a convenience sample of full-time Christian clergy (N = 221) completed a questionnaire that included the Clergy Occupational Distress Index (CODI) as well as demographic, occupational, health, and behavioral variables. Descriptive statistics and regression analyses were used to analyze the data. Higher scores on the CODI were associated with high blood pressure, diabetes, chronic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, more hours spent sitting per day, and more hours worked per week. Although years in ministry was not associated with scores on the CODI, a covariate in the model (age) did exhibit an inverse relationship with scores on the CODI. The present study provides support for the potential of occupational distress to negatively influence the health of full-time Christian clergy, especially those who are younger. Further research is needed to examine the temporal relationships among occupational distress, health, and health behaviors among full-time clergy. © 2018, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

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Occupational Distress and Health among a Sample

of Christian Clergy

Benjamin L. Webb

&Kirstie Chase

Published online: 6 October 2018

#Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2018

Abstract

To examine the association between occupational distress, physical and mental health, and

health behaviors among clergy, a convenience sample of full-time Christian clergy (N=221)

completed a questionnaire that included the Clergy Occupational Distress Index (CODI) as

well as demographic, occupational, health, and behavioral variables. Descriptive statistics and

regression analyses were used to analyze the data. Higher scores on the CODI were associated

with high blood pressure, diabetes, chronic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, more hours

spent sitting per day, and more hours worked per week. Although years in ministry was not

associated with scores on the CODI, a covariate in the model (age) did exhibit an inverse

relationship with scores on the CODI. The present study provides support for the potential of

occupational distress to negatively influence the health of full-time Christian clergy, especially

those who are younger. Further research is needed to examine the temporal relationships

among occupational distress, health, and health behaviors among full-time clergy.

Keywords Clergy.Health .Stress .Occupational distress

Data from the U.S. Department of Labor ( 2017) indicate there are approximately 244,200

clergy employed in the United States. Among their many duties, clergy prepare and deliver

sermons, lead worship services, officiate weddings and funerals, visit sick and homebound

congregants, and provide counseling to congregants on a myriad of issues. It is clear that

clergy are integral to the operation of faith-based organizations (FBOs). The need to fulfill so

many duties within FBOs could lead to immense psychosocial stress for clergy.

Psychosocial stress can be defined as a perceived, nonphysical threat to an individual that

results in a disruption to homeostasis (i.e., stable conditions in the body) (Selye 2013). This

disruption is widely known as the stress response. The stress response is beneficial in preparing

the body to deal with a real or perceived threat, but a stress response that persists and/or

Pastoral Psychology (2019) 68:331–343

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11089-018-0844-y

*Benjamin L. Webb

benjweb@siue.edu

Department of Applied Health, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Vadalabene Center, Suite

2616, Campus Box 1126, Edwardsville, IL 62026, USA

Content courtesy of Springer Nature, terms of use apply. Rights reserved.

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