Psychological distress, coping, and barriers to help-seeking in Christian clergy

Abstract

ABSTRACT Clergy have an emotionally taxing role and experience high rates of distress. Clergy are an under-represented group in research, with studies suggesting clergy utilise religious coping skills, and underutilise social support. The aims of this study were to assess psychological distress, coping, and help-seeking in UK clergy, and determine whether religious coping mediates the relationship between role demands and distress. One hundred and sixty one clergy-members completed measures of demands, distress, coping, and help-seeking. Mediation analyses were used to test hypotheses. Clergy reported higher rates of distress than community samples, reported more adaptive coping, and favoured help-seeking from informal sources. Negative religious coping and avoidant coping partially mediated the relationship between demands and distress. Clergy reported similar rates of distress to those in other emotionally demanding roles. Religious coping partially mediated the impact of negative demands, suggesting any intervention should include consideration of religious coping in this group.