Burnout among African American Baptist pastors in North Carolina

ABSTRACT

This study examines the relationship between personal characteristics, church characteristics and burnout among African American Baptist pastors in North Carolina. Senior pastors affiliated with the General Baptist State Convention of North Carolina received an electronic survey consisting of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey and a researcher-designed demographic questionnaire. The findings indicate that there is a relationship between a pastor's personal characteristics, church characteristics and burnout. Age, conflict, church size and tenure were significant predictors of emotional exhaustion, cynicism, or professional efficacy. The study was limited by the sample size and the low participation of women and younger clergy. The effects of the current COVID-19 pandemic on clergy mental wellbeing are unknown. The discussion includes recommendations to address the study limitations. Exploring additional research questions and experimenting with alternative research designs could contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of clergy wellbeing. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)