A statistical profile of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors and the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education

Abstract

AAPC and ACPE possess only empirical descriptions of their ministry. Statistical data in this study provide a clearer picture. These data describe and contrast professional time usage and perceived importance of pastoral tasks in one region (Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky) of AAPC and ACPE. AAPC spends 43 percent of its time providing pastoral counseling services; ACPE spends 19 percent (p ⩽.001). AAPC spends 19 percent of its time in teaching/supervision; ACPE spends 35 percent (p ⩽.001). AAPC spends 10 percent of its time in pastoral care; ACPE spends 14 percent (p ⩽.01). The task perceived as most important by both organizations is providing pastoral counseling services. ACPE prizes it only 17 percent less than AAPC although that difference is significant (p ⩽.001). Teaching/supervision is perceived as equally important in both organizations although it carries less than 75 percent of the importance given to pastoral counseling services. Pastoral care services are as important as teaching/supervision for ACPE and are significantly less important in AAPC (p ⩽.001). These as well as other data in this study create a clearer picture of ministry within these two organizations.