| This study attempted to assess if the practice of structured Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) techniques could lessen the symptoms of burnout, and increase psychological and physical well-being and self efficacy in a group of ordained Protestant ministers engaged in active parish ministry. The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), (Maslach, Johnson et al., 1997), the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), (Derogatis, 1993) and the Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) (Schwarzer and Jerusalem, 1995) were administered to all participants, first at pre-treatment, then at the conclusion of the 8-week MBSR program, and finally ten weeks later. It was hypothesized that there would be a significant increase in their sense of self-efficacy as measured by the GSE, and personal accomplishment as measured by the MBI. It was also hypothesized that there would be a significant decrease in psychological distress, specifically Depression, Anxiety, and Somatization as measured by the BSI and a significant decrease in Emotional Exhaustion and Depersonalization as measured by the MBI. Results indicated that the three factors in Maslach's burnout model were not altered by the treatment when measured with the Maslach Burnout Inventory (Maslach, Jackson & Leiter, 1996). However, two dimensions in the Brief Symptom Inventory (Derogatis, 1983), Hostility and Paranoid Ideation, registered a significant treatment decrease, while Anxiety, Depression, and Somatization did not show the hypothesized change either at the end of the mindfulness treatment or ten weeks post treatment. No observable change in General Self-Efficacy was demonstrated. While observed changes were not significant, moderate effect sizes were noted for Depersonalization (MBI) from T1 to T3, and for four dimensions on the BSI, including Depression, Psychoticism, Global Severity Index, and Positive Symptoms Total. Even though the generalizability of the results of this study is limited due to the small sample size (N=7), the findings suggest that a mindfulness-based intervention may have a valuable role to play in preventing burnout. Finally, suggestions for further study and application of this research to clergy wellness programs are given. |
