Factors Associated with Burnout, Marital Conflict, and Life Satisfaction among Chinese American Church Leaders

Abstract

Clergy and church leaders experience unique pressure and stressors associated with ministry. In this study, we examined protective and risk factors related to burnout, life satisfaction, and marital conflict in a sample of 124 Chinese American church leaders. We examined the role of self-compassion, self-criticism, and bicultural identity. Ministry leaders (i.e., full-time or part-time pastors, deacons, elders, ministers) aged 25 to 68 years from Chinese American churches in the United States completed surveys online. In the overall structural equation model, self-compassion and bicultural identity were associated with lower levels of burnout; both were not related to life satisfaction or marital conflict. In contrast, self-criticism was related to higher rates of marital conflict and lower levels of life satisfaction; it was not associated with ministry burnout. Self-compassion was inversely related to self-criticism. Our findings suggest that self-compassion and self-criticism have distinct implications for psychological functioning among Chinese American church leaders. Specifically, whereas self-compassion was a protective factor against ministry burnout, self-criticism was a risk factor for marital relationships and life satisfaction. Bicultural identity integration protected against ministry burnout and may be particularly helpful when working with diverse Chinese American churches. Practical implications for Chinese American clergy and ministry leaders were discussed.