Depression and Contributors to Vocational Satisfaction in Roman Catholic Secular Clergy

Abstract

A nationally selected, random sample of Roman Catholic secular (i.e., diocesan) priests was examined using the Center for Epidemiological StudiesDepression scale and an instrument developed for this study to assess contributors to priests' vocational satisfaction. In addition, a self-report inventory gathered information regarding participants' demographics as well as four categories of predictor variables (i.e., overall level of vocational satisfaction, social support, spiritual activities, physical environment). The study yielded a response rate of 45%. Secular clergy reported rates of depression approximately seven times greater than are found in the general population, and also indicated that the recent sexual abuse scandal in the Roman Catholic Church had negatively affected their mood. Priests' engagement in sacramental activities contributed greatly to their vocational

Pilot Study of Psychopathology Among Roman Catholic Secular Clergy

“…Feelings of inadequacy and inferiority (i.e., interpersonal sensitivity), anxiety, and depression appeared to play a powerful role in these priests' distress. The presence of anxiety and/or depression among this sample is consistent with earlier research (i.e., Knox et al, 2002Knox et al, , 2005Virginia, 1998). Now looking at the findings more specifically, priests' interpersonal sensitivity was highly linked with the presence of unwanted and unremitting thoughts, impulses, or actions (i.e., obsessive-compulsive dimension); dysphoric mood and affect; anxiety; thoughts, feelings, or behaviors indicative of anger (i.e., hostility dimension); disordered and suspicions thinking (i.e., paranoid ideation dimension); and alienation, hallucinations, and thought control (i.e., psychoticism dimension).…”

“…It is extremely difficult to achieve statistically significant findings with a sample of 44 persons. The response rate was consistent with Knox et al (2005), but lower than that of previous research conducted on Roman Catholic clergy (Knox et al, 2002;Virginia, 1994Virginia, , 1998. These studies followed identical methodologies, with the exception of a stipend: Virginia included a $2 stipend for his participants, whereas Knox has not done so.…”

“…among the Roman Catholic secular priest population in the U.S. As indicated above (Knox, Virginia, & Lombardo, 2002;Knox, Virginia, Thull, & Lombardo, 2005;Virginia, 1994Virginia, , 1998, we have consistent reports of specific types of psychological distress (i.e., burnout, depression, anxiety) among this population. We do not yet, however, have a more global picture of secular priests' levels and types of psychological suffering, the question examined in the present study.…”

“…In their most recent study, Knox, Virginia, Thull, and Lombardo (2005) again found evidence of marked distress in this population, with secular priests reporting rates of depression approximately seven times greater than are found in the general population. Respondents also indicated that the recent sexual abuse scandal in the Roman Catholic Church had negatively affected their mood.…”

“…Virginia and his colleagues (Knox, Virginia, & Lombardo, 2002) then extended this research to examine priests' levels of anxiety, in addition to depression. Their study intentionally focused only on secular priests: Comprising the majority of the Roman Catholic clergy, these men reside in the secular world and may then reflect more accessed by following the link in the citation at the bottom of the page.…”