EMOTIONAL EXHAUSTION AND ITS EFFECT ON CLERGY MENTAL HEALTH IN KENYA: A CASE OF CHRIST IS THE ANSWER MINISTRIES
Abstract
Purpose of the study: The present study sought to contribute to knowledge production on the link between clergy emotional exhaustion and mental health by empirically investigating the influence of emotional exhaustion on mental health of clergy in Kenya using the case of Christ Is the Answer Ministries.
Short introduction of problem statement: Emotional exhaustion is a complex phenomenon associated with the clergy profession. Its implication on mental health of clergy makes it a subject of continuing psychosocial importance. This is because effectiveness of clergy in ministry depends on their mental health. However, its implications on mental health of clergy in Kenya has not been adequately addressed in literature.
Method/methodology: A combination of descriptive and correlational research design was used. Christ Is The Answer Ministries was selected for the research. The focus of this study was 91 clergy members of CITAM. The accessible population was 86 clergy members based in Kenya. Scale of Emotional Exhaustion in Ministry was used to measure emotional exhaustion prevalence levels. Mental health was measured using a simple 5-point Likert scale developed after examining both the Riff’s Psychological Well-Being Scale and Warwick-Edinburgh Mental-Wellbeing Scale. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques such as mean and standard deviation. Spearman’s Rank Correlation was used to estimate correlation of study variables.
Results of the study: Clergy mental health was negatively and significantly correlated to feelings of emotional drain, perceived emotional breakdown. Overall, emotional exhaustion score was not statistically significant. The adverse impact of emotional exhaustion was potentially tempered by fulfilment from undertaking clergy work.
Conclusion and recommendation: Emotional exhaustion is prevalent among members of the clergy profession. Given that members of the clergy are often among the first responders to traumatic experiences of members of the congregation, interventions that enhance the frequency and depth of Psychological First Aid by professional counsellors should be enhanced. Clergy should also be equipped with self-care strategies to navigate the psychological ramifications of the profession.
Keywords: Emotional Exhaustion, Clergy, Mental Health, Psychological Resources, Psychological First Aid
References
Barnard, L. K., & Curry, J. F. (2012). The relationship of clergy burnout to self-compassion and other personality dimensions. Pastoral Psychology, 61(1), 149-163. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11089-011-0377-0
Burnette, C, M. (2016). Burnout among pastors in local church ministry in relation to pastor, congregation member, and church organizational Outcomes. All Dissertations. 1745. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/
CITAM. (2016). Strategic Plan 2016-2025. Christ Is The Answer Ministries.
Cocklin, J. W. (2013). Pastoral Resilience. www.winebrenner.edu.
Doehring C. (2013). New directions for clergy experiencing stress: Connecting spirit and body. Pastoral Psychology, 62(1)623–638. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11089-013-0512-1
Easterby-Smith, M., Thorpe, R., & Jackson, P. R. (2015). Management and Business Research. London, UK: Sage.
Fekadu, N., Shibeshi, W., & Engidawork, E. (2017). Major Depressive Disorder: Pathophysiology and clinical management. Journal of Depression and Anxiety, 6(1), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.4172/2167-1044.1000255
Francis, L. J. & Crea, G. (2015). Work-related psychological health and psychological type: A study among Catholic priests in Italy. Mental Health, Religion & Culture, 18(7), 593–604. https://doi.org/10.1080/13674676.2014.963996
Gauger, R., & Christie, L. (2013). Clergy Stress and Depression. https://www.pdresources.org/uploads/course/f1b78.pdf.
Hendron. J. A., Irving, P., & Taylor, B. (2012). The unseen cost: A discussion of the secondary traumatization experience of the clergy. Pastoral Psychology, 61, 221-231.
Henn, C. M., Hill, C., & Jorgensen, L. I. (2016). An investigation into the factor structure of the Ryff Scales of Psychological Well-Being. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 42(1), 1-12.
Jackson-Jordan, E. A. (2013). Clergy Burnout and Resilience: A Review of the Literature. http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/.
Jin, H. (2014). Ministry Demand and Stress among Korean American Pastors. A Brief Report. Issue 0031-27189.
Kallay, E., & Rus, C. (2014). Psychometric properties of the 44-item version of Ryff’s psychological well-being scale. European Journal of Psychological Assessment, 30(1), 15-21. https://doi.org/10.1027/1015-5759/a000163
Kesmodel, U. S. (2018). Cross-sectional studies – What are they good for? Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand, 97(1), 388-393.
McBride, D. C., Sedlacek, D., Baltazar, A., Matthews, L., & Chelbegean, R. (2013). Family Bonding and Family Dinners. http://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&context=behavioral-pubs.
Miles, A., & Proeschold-Bell, R. J. (2013). Overcoming the Challenges of Pastoral Work? Peer Support Groups and Psychological Distress among United Methodist Church Clergy. Sociology of Religion, 74(2) 199-226. https://doi.org/10.1093/socrel/srs055
Muasa, W. P., Selvam, S. G., & Ndung’u, E. M. (2021). Prevalence of burnout among Catholic religious men and women working in rural areas: A Case of Lodwar Diocese in Turkana County, Kenya. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 5(7), 517-528. https://doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2021.5727
Muse, S., Love, M., & Christensen, K. (2016). Intensive outpatient therapy for clergy burnout: how much difference can a week make? Journal of Religion and Health, 55(1), 147-158. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-015-0013-x
Proeschold-Bell, R. J., Miles, A., Toth, M. Adams, C, Smith, B., & Toole, D. (2013). Using effort-reward imbalance theory to understand high rates of depression and anxiety among clergy. Journal of Primary Prevention, 34(6), 439-453.
Randall, K. J. (2013). Clergy burnout: Two different measures. Pastoral Psychology, 62(1), 333-341.
Robinson, K., Allen, F., Darby, J., Fox, C., Gordon, A. L., Home, J. C., Leighton, P., Sims, E., & Logan, P. A. (2020). Contamination in complex healthcare trials: the falls in care homes (FinCH) study experience. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 20(46), 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-020-00925-z
Ruto, A. C. (2015). The influence of burnout on the performance of pastoral ministry in the African Gospel Church in Bomet County, Kenya. https://erepository.mku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/1081
Samau, B., & Schoeffel, P. (2015). Pastor’s daughters: Boundary ambiguity or the Fishbowl Effect? The Journal of Samoan Studies, 5, 88-96.
Schonfeld, I. S., Bianchi, R., & Luehring-Jones, P. (2017). Consequences of Job Stress for the Mental Health of Teachers. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-53053-6_3
Sinthya, P. V., Dharmanegara, I. B. A., & Yasa, P. N. S. (2019). Job-family conflict and impact on turnover intention through job engagement and emotional fatigue of female employees. Jurnal Ekonomi dans Bisnis Jagatha, 6(2), 104-112.
Smith, D. W. (2019). The Education of the Small-Church Nazarene Pastor: A Qualitative Study Investigating the Link between Clergy Burnout and Educational Preparedness in the Areas of the Consumer Culture and Managing Volunteers. Proquest.
Smith, S. (2018). Validation of the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale in a South African adult group. https://repository.nwu.ac.za/handle/10394/27599
Stewart-Brown, S., & Janmohamed, K. (2008). Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale.http://www.mentalhealthpromotion.net/resources/user-guide.pdf. https://doi.org/10.1037/t80221-000
Velando-soriano, A., Ortega-Campus, E., Gomez-Urquiza, J. L., Ramirez-Baena, L., De La Fuente, E. I., & Canadas-De La Fuente, G. A. (2018). Impact of social support in preventing burnout syndrome in nurses: A systematic review. Japan Journal of Nursing Science, 8(2018), 1-10.
Village, A., Payne, V. J., & Francis, l. J. (2018). Testing the balanced affect model of clergy work-related psychological health: Replication among Anglican clergy in Wales. Rural Theology, 16(2), 93-100. https://doi.org/10.1080/14704994.2018.1519918
Weiten, W. (2012). Psychology: Themes and Variations. Cengage Learning.
