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Mental Health Referral Patterns Of Rural Pastors, Alicia A. Clark

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

This research evaluated the role of the rural pastor in making mental health referrals. A questionnaire was mailed to pastors in several rural California counties in order to assess the referral patterns of pastors to mental health professionals. The questionnaire consisted of demographic information and Likert-style questions inquiring about pastoral interaction, willingness to refer, and referral history with mental health professionals. It was expected that many variables including levels of education, counseling experience, exposure to mental health, specific denominations, and belief systems would affect the referral pattern to mental health professionals. It was also expected that all rural pastors would …