Skip to main content

Do Self-efficacy Expectation and Spirituality Provide a Buffer Against Stress-Associated Impairment of Health? A Comprehensive Analysis of the German Pastoral Ministry Study

Journal of Religion and Health volume 55, pages 448–468 (2016)Cite this article

Abstract

We aimed to analyse stress perception, psychosomatic health and life satisfaction in pastoral professionals, paying particular attention to their individual and shared resources. Enrolling 8574 German pastoral professionals (48 % priests, 22 % parish expert workers, 18 % pastoral assistants, 12 % deacons), we found that pastoral professionals’ stress perception is associated with psychosomatic health impairment. General self-efficacy was a beneficial resource to protect against stress perceptions, while perception of the transcendent had a further yet weakly positive influence for stress-related impairment of health. External stressors (i.e. team size, duration of work per week and size of pastoral unit) were only of marginal independent relevance.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

References

  • Antonovsky, A. (1979). Health, stress, and coping. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baumann, K. (2003). Persönliche Erfüllung im Dienen? Zeitschrift für medizinische Ethik, 49, 29–42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Becker, P., & Jansen, L. J. (2006). Chronischer Stress, Persönlichkeit und selbstberichtete körperliche Gesundheit - Pfadanalytische Überprüfungen konkurrierender theoretischer Modelle. Zeitschrift für Gesundheitspsychologie, 14, 106–118.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burns, J., Francis, L. J., Village, A., & Robbins, M. (2013). Psychological type profile of Roman Catholic priests: An empirical enquiry in the United States. Pastoral Psychology, 62, 239–246.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Büssing, A. (2012). Measures of Spirituality in Health Care. In M. R. Cobb, C. M. Puchalski, & B. Rumbold (Eds.), Oxford textbook of spirituality in healthcare (pp. 323–331). New York: Oxford University Press.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Büssing, A. (2014). Health-related quality of life and reliance on God’s help. In A. C. Michalos (Ed.), Encyclopedia of quality of life and well-being research (pp. 2801–2807). Dordrecht: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Büssing, A., Günther, A., Baumann, K., Frick, E., & Jacobs, C. (2013). Spiritual dryness as a measure of a specific spiritual crisis in catholic priests: Associations with symptoms of burnout and distress. Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. doi:10.1155/2013/246797

  • Cohen, S., Kamarck, T., & Mermelstein, R. (1983). A global measure of perceived stress. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 24, 386–396.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, S., & Williamson, G. (1988). Perceived stress in a probability sample of the United States. In S. Spacapam & S. Oskamp (Eds.), The social psychology of health: claremont symposium on applied social psychology. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Craig, C. L., Horsfall, T., & Francis, L. J. (2005). Psychological types of male evangelical missionary personnel training in England: A role for thinking type men? Pastoral Psychology, 53, 475–482.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Derogatis, L. R. (2001). BSI 18, brief symptom inventory 18: Administration, scoring, and procedures manual. Minneapolis: NCS Pearson Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E., Emmons, R. A., Larsen, R. J., & Griffin, S. (1985). The satisfaction with life scale. Journal of Personality Assessment, 49, 71–75.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Faucett, J., Corwyn, R., & Poling, T. (2013). Clergy role stress: Interactive effects of role ambiguity and role conflict on intrinsic job satisfaction. Pastoral Psychology, 62, 291–304.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Francis, L. J., Hills, P., & Rutledge, C. J. F. (2008). Clergy work-related satisfactions in parochial ministry: The influence of personality and churchmanship. Mental Health, Religion and Culture, 11, 327–339.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Francis, L. J., Littler, K., & Robbins, M. (2012). Mystical orientation and the perceiving process: A study among Anglican clergymen. Mental Health, Religion and Culture, 15, 945–953.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Francis, L. J., & Robbins, M. (2008). Psychological type and prayer preferences: A study among Anglican clergy in the United Kingdom. Mental Health, Religion and Culture, 11, 67–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Francis, L. J., Robbins, M., Kaldor, P., & Castle, K. (2009). Psychological type and work-related psychological health among clergy in Australia, England and New Zealand. Journal of Psychology and Christianity, 28, 200–212.

    Google Scholar 

  • Franke, G. H. (1997). Erste Studien zur Güte des Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). Zeitschrift für medizinische Psychologie, 3–4, 157–166.

    Google Scholar 

  • Franke, G. (2000). BSI, Brief Symptom Inventory von L.R. Derogatis—Deutsches manual.. Göttingen: Beltz Test Gesellschaft.

    Google Scholar 

  • Franke, G., Ankerhold, A., Haase, M., Jäger, S., Tögel, C., Ulrich, C., & Frommer, J. (2011). Der Einsatz des Brief Symptom Inventory 18 (BSI-18) bei Psychotherapiepatienten. Psychotherapie, Psychosomatik und medizinische Psychologie, 61, 82–86.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frenk, S. M., Mustillo, S. A., Hooten, E. G., & Meador, K. G. (2013). The clergy occupational distress index (CODI): background and findings from two samples of clergy. Journal of Religion and Health, 52, 397–407.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hinz, A., Schumacher, J., Albani, C., Schmid, G., & Brähler, E. (2006). Bevölkerungsrepräsentative Normierung der Skala zur Allgemeinen Selbstwirksamkeitserwartung. Diagnostika, 52, 26–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jacobs, C. (2010). “Seine Hände kamen los vom Lastkorb” (Ps 81,7): Pastoraltheologische und –psychologische Überlegungen zu Burnout, Engagement und Salutogenese. Theologisch Praktische Quartalschrift, 158, 234–246.

    Google Scholar 

  • Knox, S., Virginia, S. G., & Lombardo, J. P. (2002). Depression and anxiety in Roman Catholic secular clergy. Pastoral Psychology, 50, 345–358.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Knox, S., Virginia, S. G., & Smith, J. (2007). Pilot study of psychopathology among Roman Catholic secular clergy. Pastoral Psychology, 55, 297–306.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Knox, S., Virginia, S. G., Thull, J., & Lombardo, J. P. (2005). Depression and contributors to vocational satisfaction in Roman Catholic secular clergy. Pastoral Psychology, 54, 139–155.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kohls, N., & Walach, H. (2007). Psychological distress, experiences of ego loss and spirituality: Exploring the effects of spiritual practice. Social Behavior and Personality, 35, 1301–1316.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress appraisal and coping. New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee, B.-J. (2007). Moderating effects of religious/spiritual coping in the relation between perceived stress and psychological well-being. Pastoral Psychology, 55, 751–759.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pargament, K. I. (2007, 2011). Spiritually integrated psychotherapy. Understanding and addressing the sacred. Guilford: New York.

  • Proeschold-Bell, R. J., LeGrand, S., James, J., Wallace, A., Adams, C., & Tool, D. A. (2011). Theoretical model of the holistic health of united methodist clergy. Journal of Religion and Health, 50, 700–720.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Proeschold-Bell, R. J., Miles, A., Toth, M., Adams, C., Smith, B. W., & Tool, D. (2013). Using effort-reward imbalance theory to understand high rates of depression and anxiety among clergy. The Journal of Primary Prevention, 34, 439–453.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Raj, A., & Dean, K. E. (2005). Burnout and Depression Among Catholic Priests in India. Pastoral Psychology, 54, 157–171.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reutter, K. K. (2014). The effects of spirituality and religiosity upon stress, anxiety, and depression: Mediation, moderation, or moderated mediation? Saarbrücken: Lambert Academic Publishing.

  • Rowatt, W. (2001). Stress and satisfaction in ministry families. Review and Expositor, 98, 523–543.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rulla, L. M., Ridick, J., & Imoda, F. (1989). Anthropology of the Christian vocation. II. Existential Confirmation. Rome: Gregorian University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwarzer, R., & Jerusalem, M. (1995). Generalized self-efficacy scale. In J. Weinman, S. Wright, & M. Johnston (Eds.), Measures in health psychology: A user’s portfolio Causal and control beliefs (pp. 35–37). Windsor: NFER-NELSON.

    Google Scholar 

  • Underwood, L. G. (1999). A working model of health: Spirituality and religiousness as resources: Applications to persons with disability. Journal of Religion, Disability and Health, 3, 55–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Underwood, L. G. (2011). The daily spiritual experience scale: Overview and Results. Religions, 2, 29–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Underwood, L. G., & Teresi, J. A. (2002). The daily spiritual experience scale: Development, theoretical description, reliability, exploratory factor analysis, and preliminary construct validity using health-related data. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 24, 22–33.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Whitehead, B. R., & Bergeman, C. S. (2012). Coping with daily stress: differential role of spiritual experience on daily positive and negative affect. The Journals of Gerontology Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 67, 456–459.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Zickar, M. J., Balzer, W. K., Aziz, S., & Wryobeck, J. M. (2008). The moderating role of social support between role stressors and job attitudes among Roman Catholic priests. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 38, 2903–2923.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We are very grateful to the supporting team, particularly Andreas Günther, Cécile Loetz and Jakob Müller for their gracious assistance.

Conflict of interest

This study was an investigator initiated trial without any influence of Church authorities. All authors are members of the respective universities; three of the authors are Catholic priests (EF, KB, CJ) working at universities as researchers. The authors disclose any financial or other competing interests.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Munich School of Philosophy and Professorship of Spiritual Care, University of Munich, Munich, Germany

    Eckhard Frick

  2. Quality of Life, Spirituality and Coping, Faculty of Health, Institute for Integrative Medicine, Witten/Herdecke University, Gerhard-Kienle-Weg 4, 583313, Herdecke, Germany

    Arndt Büssing

  3. Caritas Science and Christian Social Work, Faculty of Theology, Albert-Ludwig University, Freiburg, Germany

    Klaus Baumann

  4. Institute of Psychology, University of Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Germany

    Wolfgang Weig

  5. Pastoral Psychology and Sociology, Faculty of Theology Paderborn, Paderborn, Germany

    Christoph Jacobs

Authors
  1. Eckhard Frick
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Arndt Büssing
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Klaus Baumann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Wolfgang Weig
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Christoph Jacobs
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Arndt Büssing.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Frick, E., Büssing, A., Baumann, K. et al. Do Self-efficacy Expectation and Spirituality Provide a Buffer Against Stress-Associated Impairment of Health? A Comprehensive Analysis of the German Pastoral Ministry Study. J Relig Health 55, 448–468 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-015-0040-7

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-015-0040-7

Keywords

  • Stress perception
  • Impairment of health
  • Catholic priests
  • Pastoral workers
  • Life satisfaction