The Experts below are selected from a list of 33405 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Leslie J. Francis - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Rural Ministry and Retired Clergy
Rural Theology, 2013Co-Authors: Leslie J. Francis, Jenny Rolph, Paul Rolph, Caroline WindsorAbstract:This study listens to the perceptions of seventy stipendiary Clergy serving in the Diocese of Truro regarding the contribution of retired Clergy to supporting and sustaining ministry in a rural diocese. The majority of these stipendiary Clergy were being positively helped by retired Clergy. Many of them would welcome a planned strategy for the employment of retired Clergy to enhance rural ministry. Suggestions are offered for further research in this field.
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Are Clergy serving yoked congregations more vulnerable to burnout? : a study among Clergy serving in the Presbyterian church (USA)
Stress and Health, 2012Co-Authors: Leslie J. Francis, Mandy Robbins, Keith WulffAbstract:Pressures generated by increasing secularization and decreasing vocations to ordained ministry are resulting across denominations in a growing number of Clergy serving more than one congregation. This study assesses the hypothesis that Clergy serving more than one congregation are more susceptible to burnout. Data were provided by a sample of 735 Clergy serving in The Presbyterian Church (USA) who completed the Francis Burnout Inventory together with the abbreviated Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised. Among these Clergy, 82% served one congregation, 13% served two congregations, and 5% served three or more congregations. After controlling for individual differences in age and personality, the data demonstrated that Clergy serving yoked congregations experienced no statistically significant differences in susceptibility to burnout, either in terms of levels of emotional exhaustion or in terms of levels of satisfaction in ministry, compared with colleagues serving just one congregation.
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Ministry and Stress: Listening to Anglican Clergy in Wales
Pastoral Psychology, 2011Co-Authors: Amanda Berry, Leslie J. Francis, Jenny Rolph, Paul RolphAbstract:This study set out to examine the experiences of stress in ministry among a sample of Anglican Clergy serving in Wales. Building on recent quantitative studies of work-related psychological health among Anglican Clergy in England, the study employed mainly qualitative methods to illustrate eight issues: the Clergy's overall assessment of their present health, their understanding of the characteristics of stress, their assessment of the levels of symptoms of stress within their own lives, their identification of the causes of stress within their experience of ministry, the people on whom they call for support in times of stress, their strategy for and styles of recreation, their assessment of the pastoral care provision available to Clergy, and their views on enhancing initial Clergy training to equip Clergy to cope with stress. Data provided by 73 Clergy (10 female and 63 male) portray a group of professionally engaged men and women who are well aware of the stress-related dynamics of their vocation, who are displaying classic signs of work-overload, and who are critical of and resistant to strategies that may confuse the pastoral care of stressed Clergy with the accepted management role of the Church's hierarchy of bishops and archdeacons.
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maintaining a public ministry in rural england work related psychological health and psychological type among anglican Clergy serving in multi church benefices
2011Co-Authors: Christine E Brewster, Leslie J. Francis, Mandy RobbinsAbstract:This chapter examines the current state of the work-related psychological health of Anglican Clergy in rural multichurch benefices, and to do so within theoretical frameworks which conceptualize work-related psychological health in terms of balanced affect and which situate individual differences in work-related psychological health within the context of psychological type theory. This theoretical framework will be introduced by examining six areas of theory and research: negative and positive aspects of ministry; assessing positive affect; the burnout syndrome; the Francis Burnout Inventory; psychological type theory and measurement; psychological type and Clergy studies. The chapter suggests that the work-related psychological health of rural Clergy should be taken seriously by both the rural Clergy themselves and by those who are responsible for their professional well-being, if a healthy public ministry is to be maintained in rural England. Keywords: Anglican Clergy; England; Francis Burnout Inventory; multichurch benefices; public ministry; work-related psychological health
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psychological type and work related psychological health among Clergy in australia england and new zealand
Journal of Psychology and Christianity, 2009Co-Authors: Leslie J. Francis, Mandy Robbins, Peter Kaldor, Keith CastleAbstract:A sample of 3,715 Clergy from Australia, England and New Zealand completed two indices of work-related psychological health, the Scale of Emotional Exhaustion in Ministry (negative affect) and the Satisfaction in Ministry Scale (positive affect), together with a measure of Jungian psychological type, the Francis Psychological Type Scales. The data were employed to establish three issues: the level of work-related psychological health among Clergy; the psychological type profile of Clergy; and the relationship between psychological type and individual differences in work-related psychological health. The data demonstrate that Clergy display high levels of positive affect coupled with high levels of negative affect; that the predominant psychological type profile of Clergy prefers introversion over extraversion, sensing over intuition, feeling over thinking, and judging over perceiving; and that psychological type is able to predict differences in work-related psychological health among Clergy. Clergy who prefer introversion and thinking experience lower levels of work-related psychological health than Clergy who prefer extraversion and feeling. The implications of these findings are discussed for developing effective and healthy Christian ministry.
Rae Jean Proescholdbell - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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relationships between sabbath observance and mental physical and spiritual health in Clergy
Pastoral Psychology, 2019Co-Authors: Holly Hough, Rae Jean Proescholdbell, Carl Weisner, Elizabeth L TurnerAbstract:Keeping the Sabbath, that is, setting a day apart for rest and spiritual rejuvenation, has been related to better mental health and less stress in cross-sectional studies. However, for Clergy, keeping Sabbath can be complicated by needing to work on Sundays and the round-the-clock nature of Clergy work. Nevertheless, numerous studies demonstrating high depression rates in Clergy populations suggest Clergy need to attend to their mental health. Religious denomination officials interested in preventing depression in Clergy may be tempted to recommend Sabbath-keeping, although recommending other forms of rest and rejuvenation, including connecting with others, is also possible. This study examined the relationships of Sabbath-keeping as well as multiple other forms of rest and rejuvenation (vacation, sleep, relaxing activities, and social support) to mental and physical health and spiritual well-being using survey data from 1316 United Methodist Clergy. Appropriate regression analyses (logistic, linear, and Poisson) were used to determine which Clergy were more likely to keep the Sabbath and examined the relationships between Sabbath-keeping and multiple well-being outcomes. Receiving more social support was strongly associated with Sabbath-keeping. Sabbath-keeping was not significantly related to mental or physical health, after adjusting for covariates such as social support, although Sabbath-keeping was significantly related to higher quality of life and spiritual well-being—the original purpose of Sabbath-keeping—in Clergy. To adequately test whether Sabbath-keeping could promote mental health for Clergy beyond other forms of rejuvenation, intervention studies are needed.
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Clergy burnout a comparison study with other helping professions
Pastoral Psychology, 2017Co-Authors: Christopher Adams, Holly Hough, Rae Jean Proescholdbell, Melanie KolkinAbstract:Clergy experience a large number of stressors in their work, including role overload and emotional labor. Although studies have found high rates of depression in Clergy, the degree of work-related burnout in Clergy compared to other occupations is unknown. The widely used Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) measures three aspects of burnout: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. We sought studies using comparable versions of the MBI for Clergy; for social workers, counselors, and teachers because of those occupations’ emotional intensity and labor; and for police and emergency personnel because of the unpredictability and stress-related physiological arousal in those occupations. We found a total of 84 studies and compared the ranges of burnout scores between the studies of Clergy, each additional occupation, and MBI published mean norms. Compared to U.S. norms, Clergy exhibited moderate rates of burnout. Across the three kinds of burnout, Clergy scores were relatively better than those of police and emergency personnel, similar to those of social workers and teachers, and worse than those of counselors. Clergy may benefit from burnout prevention strategies used by counselors. The moderate levels of burnout found for Clergy, despite the numerous stressors associated with their occupation, suggest that Clergy generally cope well and may be models to study. Overall, there is room for improvement in burnout for all professions, especially police and emergency personnel. It is important to remember the variation within any profession, including Clergy, and prevent and address burnout for those in need.
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the glory of god is a human being fully alive predictors of positive versus negative mental health among Clergy
Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 2015Co-Authors: Rae Jean Proescholdbell, Christopher Adams, Bruce W Smith, Sara Legrand, Ashley Eisenberg, Amber WilkAbstract:Clergy fulfill vital societal functions as meaning makers and community builders. Partly because of their important roles, Clergy frequently encounter stressful situations. Further, studies suggest that Clergy experience high rates of depression. Despite this, few studies have examined protective factors for Clergy that may increase their positive mental health. We invited all United Methodist Clergy in North Carolina to participate in a survey. Of church-serving Clergy, 85 percent responded (n = 1,476). Hierarchical multiple regression was used to assess the predictors of three positive and four negative mental health outcomes. The three sets of predictors were: demographics, which explained 2–10 percent of the variances; variables typically related to mental health (social support, social isolation, and financial stress), which explained 14–41 percent of the variances; and Clergy-specific variables, which explained 14–20 percent of the variances, indicating the importance of measuring occupation-specific variables. Some variables (e.g., congregation demands) significantly related to both positive and negative mental health, whereas others (e.g., positive congregations, congregation support) significantly related primarily to positive mental health. In addition to their intervention implications, these findings support separate consideration for negative versus positive mental health.
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closeness to god among those doing god s work a spiritual well being measure for Clergy
Journal of Religion & Health, 2014Co-Authors: Rae Jean Proescholdbell, Matthew Toth, Chongming Yang, Monica Corbitt Rivers, Kenneth CarderAbstract:Measuring spiritual well-being among Clergy is particularly important given the high relevance of God to their lives, and yet its measurement is prone to problems such as ceiling effects and conflating religious behaviors with spiritual well-being. To create a measure of closeness to God for Christian Clergy, we tested survey items at two time points with 1,513 United Methodist Church Clergy. The confirmatory factor analysis indicated support for two, six-item factors: Presence and Power of God in Daily Life, and Presence and Power of God in Ministry. The data supported the predictive and concurrent validity of the two factors and evidenced high reliabilities without ceiling effects. This Clergy Spiritual Well-being Scale may be useful to elucidate the relationship among dimensions of health and well-being in Clergy populations.
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using effort reward imbalance theory to understand high rates of depression and anxiety among Clergy
The Journal of Primary Prevention, 2013Co-Authors: Rae Jean Proescholdbell, Christopher Adams, Andrew Miles, Matthew Toth, Bruce W Smith, David TooleAbstract:The Clergy occupation is unique in its combination of role strains and higher calling, putting Clergy mental health at risk. We surveyed all United Methodist Clergy in North Carolina, and 95 % (n = 1,726) responded, with 38% responding via phone interview. We compared Clergy phone interview depression rates, assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), to those of in-person interviews in a representative United States sample that also used the PHQ-9. The Clergy depression prevalence was 8.7 %, significantly higher than the 5.5 % rate of the national sample. We used logistic regression to explain depression, and also anxiety, assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. As hypothesized by effort-reward imbalance theory, several extrinsic demands (job stress, life unpredictability) and intrinsic demands (guilt about not doing enough work, doubting one’s call to ministry) significantly predicted depression and anxiety, as did rewards such as ministry satisfaction and lack of financial stress. The high rate of Clergy depression signals the need for preventive policies and programs for Clergy. The extrinsic and intrinsic demands and rewards suggest specific actions to improve Clergy mental health.
Sara Legrand - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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the glory of god is a human being fully alive predictors of positive versus negative mental health among Clergy
Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 2015Co-Authors: Rae Jean Proescholdbell, Christopher Adams, Bruce W Smith, Sara Legrand, Ashley Eisenberg, Amber WilkAbstract:Clergy fulfill vital societal functions as meaning makers and community builders. Partly because of their important roles, Clergy frequently encounter stressful situations. Further, studies suggest that Clergy experience high rates of depression. Despite this, few studies have examined protective factors for Clergy that may increase their positive mental health. We invited all United Methodist Clergy in North Carolina to participate in a survey. Of church-serving Clergy, 85 percent responded (n = 1,476). Hierarchical multiple regression was used to assess the predictors of three positive and four negative mental health outcomes. The three sets of predictors were: demographics, which explained 2–10 percent of the variances; variables typically related to mental health (social support, social isolation, and financial stress), which explained 14–41 percent of the variances; and Clergy-specific variables, which explained 14–20 percent of the variances, indicating the importance of measuring occupation-specific variables. Some variables (e.g., congregation demands) significantly related to both positive and negative mental health, whereas others (e.g., positive congregations, congregation support) significantly related primarily to positive mental health. In addition to their intervention implications, these findings support separate consideration for negative versus positive mental health.
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physical health functioning among united methodist Clergy
Journal of Religion & Health, 2012Co-Authors: Rae Jean Proescholdbell, Sara LegrandAbstract:United Methodist Clergy have been found to have higher than average self-reported rates of obesity, diabetes, asthma, arthritis, and high blood pressure. However, health diagnoses differ from physical health functioning, which indicates how much health problems interfere with activities of daily living. Ninety-five percent (n = 1726) of all actively serving United Methodist Clergy in North Carolina completed the SF-12, a measure of physical health functioning that has US norms based on self-administered survey data. Sixty-two percent (n = 1074) of our sample completed the SF-12 by self-administered formats. We used mean difference tests among self-administered Clergy surveys to compare the Clergy SF-12 Physical Composite Scores to US-normed scores. Clergy reported significantly better physical health composite scores than their gender- and age-matched peers, despite above average disease burden in the same sample. Although health interventions tailored to Clergy that address chronic disease are urgently needed, it may be difficult to elicit participation given pastors’ optimistic view of their physical health functioning.
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Tailoring Health Programming to Clergy: Findings From a Study of United Methodist Clergy in North Carolina
Journal of Prevention & Intervention in The Community, 2012Co-Authors: Rae Jean Proeschold-bell, Robin Swift, Sara Legrand, Amanda Wallace, John James, H. Edgar Moore, David TooleAbstract:Research indicating high rates of chronic disease among some Clergy groups highlights the need for health programming for Clergy. Like any group united by similar beliefs and norms, Clergy may find culturally tailored health programming more accessible and effective. There is an absence of research on what aspects Clergy find important for Clergy health programs. We conducted 11 focus groups with United Methodist Church pastors and district superintendents. Participants answered open-ended questions about Clergy health program desires and ranked program priorities from a list of 13 possible programs. Pastors prioritized health club memberships, retreats, personal trainers, mental health counseling, and spiritual direction. District superintendents prioritized for pastors: physical exams, peer support groups, health coaching, retreats, health club memberships, and mental health counseling. District superintendents prioritized for themselves: physical exams, personal trainers, health coaching, retreats, and...
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a theoretical model of the holistic health of united methodist Clergy
Journal of Religion & Health, 2011Co-Authors: Rae Jean Proescholdbell, Christopher Adams, Sara Legrand, Amanda Wallace, John James, David TooleAbstract:Culturally competent health interventions require an understanding of the population’s beliefs and the pressures they experience. Research to date on the health-related beliefs and experiences of Clergy lacks a comprehensive data-driven model of Clergy health. Eleven focus groups with 59 United Methodist Church (UMC) pastors and 29 UMC District Superintendents were conducted in 2008. Participants discussed their conceptualization of health and barriers to, and facilitators of, health promotion. Audiotape transcriptions were coded by two people each and analyzed using grounded theory methodology. A model of health for UMC Clergy is proposed that categorizes 42 moderators of health into each of five levels drawn from the Socioecological Framework: Intrapersonal, Interpersonal, Congregational, United Methodist Institutional, and Civic Community. Clergy health is mediated by stress and self-care and coping practices. Implications for future research and Clergy health interventions are discussed.
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high rates of obesity and chronic disease among united methodist Clergy
Obesity, 2010Co-Authors: Rae Jean Proescholdbell, Sara LegrandAbstract:e used self-reported data from United Methodist Clergy to assess the prevalence of obesity and having ever been told certain chronic disease diagnoses. Ninety-five percent (n=1726) of all actively-serving United Methodist Clergy in North Carolina (NC) completed self-report height and weight items and diagnosis questions from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS). We calculated Body Mass Index categories and diagnosis prevalence rates for the Clergy and compared them to the NC population using BRFSS data. The obesity rate among Clergy aged 35-64 was 39.7%, 10.3% (95% CI=8.5%, 12.1%) higher than their NC counterparts. Clergy also reported significantly higher rates of having ever being given diagnoses of diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure, angina, and asthma compared to their NC peers. Health interventions that address obesity and chronic disease among Clergy are urgently needed.
Mandy Robbins - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Are Clergy serving yoked congregations more vulnerable to burnout? : a study among Clergy serving in the Presbyterian church (USA)
Stress and Health, 2012Co-Authors: Leslie J. Francis, Mandy Robbins, Keith WulffAbstract:Pressures generated by increasing secularization and decreasing vocations to ordained ministry are resulting across denominations in a growing number of Clergy serving more than one congregation. This study assesses the hypothesis that Clergy serving more than one congregation are more susceptible to burnout. Data were provided by a sample of 735 Clergy serving in The Presbyterian Church (USA) who completed the Francis Burnout Inventory together with the abbreviated Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised. Among these Clergy, 82% served one congregation, 13% served two congregations, and 5% served three or more congregations. After controlling for individual differences in age and personality, the data demonstrated that Clergy serving yoked congregations experienced no statistically significant differences in susceptibility to burnout, either in terms of levels of emotional exhaustion or in terms of levels of satisfaction in ministry, compared with colleagues serving just one congregation.
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maintaining a public ministry in rural england work related psychological health and psychological type among anglican Clergy serving in multi church benefices
2011Co-Authors: Christine E Brewster, Leslie J. Francis, Mandy RobbinsAbstract:This chapter examines the current state of the work-related psychological health of Anglican Clergy in rural multichurch benefices, and to do so within theoretical frameworks which conceptualize work-related psychological health in terms of balanced affect and which situate individual differences in work-related psychological health within the context of psychological type theory. This theoretical framework will be introduced by examining six areas of theory and research: negative and positive aspects of ministry; assessing positive affect; the burnout syndrome; the Francis Burnout Inventory; psychological type theory and measurement; psychological type and Clergy studies. The chapter suggests that the work-related psychological health of rural Clergy should be taken seriously by both the rural Clergy themselves and by those who are responsible for their professional well-being, if a healthy public ministry is to be maintained in rural England. Keywords: Anglican Clergy; England; Francis Burnout Inventory; multichurch benefices; public ministry; work-related psychological health
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psychological type and work related psychological health among Clergy in australia england and new zealand
Journal of Psychology and Christianity, 2009Co-Authors: Leslie J. Francis, Mandy Robbins, Peter Kaldor, Keith CastleAbstract:A sample of 3,715 Clergy from Australia, England and New Zealand completed two indices of work-related psychological health, the Scale of Emotional Exhaustion in Ministry (negative affect) and the Satisfaction in Ministry Scale (positive affect), together with a measure of Jungian psychological type, the Francis Psychological Type Scales. The data were employed to establish three issues: the level of work-related psychological health among Clergy; the psychological type profile of Clergy; and the relationship between psychological type and individual differences in work-related psychological health. The data demonstrate that Clergy display high levels of positive affect coupled with high levels of negative affect; that the predominant psychological type profile of Clergy prefers introversion over extraversion, sensing over intuition, feeling over thinking, and judging over perceiving; and that psychological type is able to predict differences in work-related psychological health among Clergy. Clergy who prefer introversion and thinking experience lower levels of work-related psychological health than Clergy who prefer extraversion and feeling. The implications of these findings are discussed for developing effective and healthy Christian ministry.
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the relationship between work related psychological health and psychological type among Clergy serving in the presbyterian church usa
Journal of Empirical Theology, 2008Co-Authors: Leslie J. Francis, Keith Wulff, Mandy RobbinsAbstract:This study examines the relationship between work-related psychological health and the Jungian model of psychological type among a sample of 748 Clergy serving within The Presbyterian Church (USA). Psychological type was assessed by the Francis Psychological Type Scales which provide classification in terms of orientation (extraversion or introversion), perceiving (sensing or intuition), judging (thinking or feeling) and attitude toward the outer world (extraverted judging or extraverted perceiving). Work-related psychological health was assessed by the Francis Burnout Inventory which distinguishes between positive affect (the Satisfaction in Ministry Scale) and negative affect (the Scale of Emotional Exhaustion in Ministry). The data demonstrated that these Clergy display high levels of negative affect coupled with high levels of positive affect. The data also confirmed that the main association between work-related psychological health and psychological type is a function of the orientations (the source of psychological energy). Compared with Clergy who prefer introversion, Clergy who prefer extraversion display both higher levels of satisfaction in ministry and lower levels of emotional exhaustion in ministry. These findings are consistent with the theory that the extraverted nature of ministry requires introverted Clergy to operate for considerable periods of time outside their preferred orientations, with the consequent loss of energy and the consequent erosion of psychological rewards. Strategies are suggested for enabling introverted Clergy to cope more effectively and more efficiently with the extraverted demands of ministry.
J Balbonimichael - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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seeking and accepting u s Clergy theological and moral perspectives informing decision making at the end of life
Journal of Palliative Medicine, 2017Co-Authors: J Sandersjustin, T Smithpatrick, A Balbonitracy, C Enzingerandrea, J BalbonimichaelAbstract:Abstract Background: People with serious illness frequently rely on religion/spirituality to cope with their diagnosis, with potentially positive and negative consequences. Clergy are uniquely positioned to help patients consider medical decisions at or near the end of life within a religious/spiritual framework. Objective: We aimed to examine Clergy knowledge of end-of-life (EOL) care and beliefs about the role of faith in EOL decision making for patients with serious illness. Design: Key informant interviews, focus groups, and survey. Setting/Subjects: A purposive sample of 35 active Clergy in five U.S. states as part of the National Clergy End-of-Life Project. Measurement: We assessed participant knowledge of and desire for further education about EOL care. We transcribed interviews and focus groups for the purpose of qualitative analysis. Results: Clergy had poor knowledge of EOL care; 75% desired more EOL training. Qualitative analysis revealed a theological framework for decision making in serious i...
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Clergy views on a good versus a poor death ministry to the terminally ill
Journal of Palliative Medicine, 2015Co-Authors: T Lebaronvirginia, T Smithpatrick, A Balbonitracy, J BalbonimichaelAbstract:Abstract Background: Clergy are often important sources of guidance for patients and family members making medical decisions at the end-of-life (EOL). Previous research revealed spiritual support by religious communities led to more aggressive care at the EOL, particularly among minority patients. Understanding this phenomenon is important to help address disparities in EOL care. Objective: The study objective was to explore and describe Clergy perspectives regarding “good” versus “poor” death within the participant's spiritual tradition. Methods: This was a qualitative, descriptive study. Community Clergy from various spiritual backgrounds, geographical locations within the United States, and races/ethnicities were recruited. Participants included 35 Clergy who participated in one-on-one interviews (N = 14) and two focus groups (N = 21). Semistructured interviews explored Clergy viewpoints on factors related to a “good death.” Principles of grounded theory were used to identify a final set of themes and ...
