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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
The African American Mental Health Dilemma: A Phenomenological Case Study On How Christian Clergy Are Bridging The Gap, Penelope Evans
The African American Mental Health Dilemma: A Phenomenological Case Study On How Christian Clergy Are Bridging The Gap, Penelope Evans
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The history of African Americans is composed of ongoing inhumane and normalized mistreatment that continues to generate widespread issues and challenges. African Americans’ current higher likelihood of exposure to one or more traumatic life events increases the possibility their emotional and mental well-being will be negatively impacted. The ethnic group’s development in historical trauma and abuse is being acknowledged as an underlying factor in the alarming increase in serious mental health conditions in African Americans. Continued racial and discriminative dynamics further increase African Americans’ susceptibility and risk for severe psychological illnesses in the United States. African Americans’ higher tendency not …
Emotional Shared Experiences: A Phenomenological Qualitative Transcendental Study On The Shared Experiences Of Ten Pastors In Rural Central Virginia Due To The Covid 19 Mandate That Closed Their Houses Of Worship, Earnest L. Shannon
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological research study was to describe the shared emotional experiences of 10 senior pastors of Christian churches located in rural central Virginia due to the national COVID 19 mandate that forced them to close their houses of worship. Moreover, in the United States of America, a COVID 19 mandate was implemented that closed places of worship, which altered the American pastor’s routine schedule. Therefore, the central research question explicated in this research study was, “What are the personal emotions experienced by 10 senior pastors in rural Virginia during a phenomenon, the national COVID 19 …
A Phenomenological Study Exploring Pastors' Experiences Counseling Younger Congregants With Changing Lifestyles, Terry L. Skepple
A Phenomenological Study Exploring Pastors' Experiences Counseling Younger Congregants With Changing Lifestyles, Terry L. Skepple
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Societal norms are changing, and more young adults are cohabitating with partners before marriage, engaging in premarital intercourse, and embarking on second marriages. All these activities are contrary to historical interpretations of pastoral teachings. The problem is that pastors are challenged in adapting to provide family and marriage counseling for younger congregants. With societal changes occurring rapidly, the majority of the young generation feels that there is less relevance in pastoral teachings. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe Covenant Connections International’s mature pastors’ experiences counseling younger congregants in the Northeastern United States. Eight pastors living and working …
Suicide And Sermons: Perceptions Of Pastors And Congregant Members Regarding Suicide, Hope W. Callahan
Suicide And Sermons: Perceptions Of Pastors And Congregant Members Regarding Suicide, Hope W. Callahan
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The ongoing global crisis of suicide underscores the imperative for effective prevention measures addressing the mental health struggles of individuals, offering hope, and facilitating access to essential services. Research is vast when considering suicide in general; however, the gap in research lies in understanding the perceptions of pastors and congregant members regarding the topic. Pastors, by integrating the topic of suicide into their sermons, can play a crucial role in prevention through messages of hope and encouragement. This approach fosters open dialogue and reduces stigma within congregations. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to gain a deeper understanding …
A Mixed-Methods Inquiry Into Pastors' Knowledge And Responses To Human Trafficking In Their Congregations In The Baptist Convention Of Maryland/Delaware, Denise A. Beck
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to discover the knowledge of human trafficking of the pastors in the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware churches and their responses to this crime. The guiding theory was the words of Jesus in Exodus: Chapter 3 concerning slavery and the tribulations of Israelites. A questionnaire provided enlightenment regarding the levels of knowledge in the church communities, how pastors viewed it, the methods by which they received the information, and how they responded to it. This study reflected a gap in the knowledge of pastors in their congregations. The data were collected through emails and …
A Phenomenological Study Of Church Leader's Experiences With Vicarious Trauma In Oviedo, Florida, Judy Rivera-Melendez
A Phenomenological Study Of Church Leader's Experiences With Vicarious Trauma In Oviedo, Florida, Judy Rivera-Melendez
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand and explore the need to help church leaders who are experiencing stress. Christian clergies are classified as priests, pastors, ministers, chaplains, and deacons who interact with the congregation by identifying the Bible Scriptures. Church leaders follow the teachings of the divine and are pulled from many angles. It is up to the congregation to help themselves and church leaders to relieve this stress to avoid vicarious trauma. This study digs deep to decipher if church leaders in Catholicism and Baptist teaching are aware of the stress they acquire from their …
Discouragement And Supportive Relationships In Latin Pastors Planting Churches In Virginia, North Carolina, And Tennessee, Jeannette Arroyo
Discouragement And Supportive Relationships In Latin Pastors Planting Churches In Virginia, North Carolina, And Tennessee, Jeannette Arroyo
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The present study investigated the impact of discouragement on Latin pastors planting churches in the missionary field and provided a psychological resource for pastors coping with the challenge. Due to their unique characteristics, supportive relationships were investigated regarding how it impacts the variable of discouragement due to emotional exhaustion and the absence of self-care (Williams, 2019). Since pastors and ministers face this challenge regularly (Stott, 2014), exploring networks for support and help in distress is essential. Social constructivists see motivation as a social phenomenon crucial for individuals, and the Adlerian Theory (Carlson & Englar-Carlson, 2017) calls attention to relationships and …
Pastors With Mission And Purpose Perceptions Of Strategic Leadership For The Church--A Multi-Case Study, Nancy Brown Smith
Pastors With Mission And Purpose Perceptions Of Strategic Leadership For The Church--A Multi-Case Study, Nancy Brown Smith
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This qualitative multiple-case study aimed to explore pastors’ perceptions of strategic leadership at churches in Virginia. This researcher sought to understand the strategic leadership of pastors with mission and purpose ways of growing thriving churches. This research defined strategic leadership as “the capacity to learn, change, and have managerial wisdom” (Boal & Hooijberg, 2001, p. 515) based on the Strategic Leadership Theory (Finkelstein & Hambrick, 1996). Declining church membership, attendance at services, or even closures is alarming (Felicetti, 2021), and this research may help churches facing such problems. A rationale for this study was to explore pastors’ viable avenues that …
African American Male Pastors’ Perceptions Of Managing Racism As Black Men And Spiritual Leaders, Priscilla Lenora Miles
African American Male Pastors’ Perceptions Of Managing Racism As Black Men And Spiritual Leaders, Priscilla Lenora Miles
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this psychological phenomenological study was to give African American pastors a platform to express their perceptions of racism as Black men and spiritual leaders. The appropriate relationships can endure unforeseen trauma with Erickson's (2013) recognition of the dependability and reliability of the scriptures, as well as Bowlby's (1969/1982) concept of pastors' attachments fostering trust. The research questions were as follows: How would African American pastors describe the challenges they face when addressing the issue of racism with their congregations? What strategies would African American pastors encourage to congregates when addressing racism? How would African American pastors describe …
A Phenomenological Study Of Clergy Job-Related Stress And Stress-Coping During Covid-19, Peter Michael Foxwell
A Phenomenological Study Of Clergy Job-Related Stress And Stress-Coping During Covid-19, Peter Michael Foxwell
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experience of stress and stress-coping of five Michigan pastors who led their Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA) congregations through the 2020-21 COVID-19 pandemic. Stress is generally defined as the psychophysiological response to a perceived threat or stressor, and stress-coping is generally defined as intentional behaviors designed to manage stress. The theoretical background of this study is the transactional theory of stress and coping (TTSC) (Lazarus, 1966; Lazarus & Folkman, 1984) as it relates to pastors’ lived experience of ministry-related stress and coping in crisis conditions. The rationales for …
Alaskan Rural Pastors' Lived Experiences With Mental Health Stigma, Josephine Kay Barry
Alaskan Rural Pastors' Lived Experiences With Mental Health Stigma, Josephine Kay Barry
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of rural Alaskan pastors with mental health and mental health stigma both personally and professionally. While there were few studies available to assist with the framework of this research there were some that focused on pastors, depression, burnout and collaboration with counselors in rural areas. A Conceptual Mapping Task (CMT) was used to conduct the interview of five pastors within an isolated Alaskan community. Pastors were asked to describe in detail their lived encounters with mental health stigma and how it impacted them and their congregation. Interviews were …
Latino Pastors And Their Spouses' Marital Satisfaction And Its Predicting Factors, Tanya Paniagua
Latino Pastors And Their Spouses' Marital Satisfaction And Its Predicting Factors, Tanya Paniagua
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The Latino population in the United States has been the primary driver of demographic growth in the country (Flores, 2017). With this increasing shift in America, it is important to investigate the unique strains on clergy families among Latino pastors as evidence suggests stress is a threat to marital satisfaction and its longevity (Randall & Bodenmann, 2009). Very little literature on marital dynamics has focused on Latino pastors; thus, a need exists for more research in examining how cultural values and acculturation impact marital satisfaction while considering the relationship between marital satisfaction and selected variables: affection, sexual satisfaction, communication, burnout, …
A Phenomenological Investigation Of The Resilience And Success Of African-American Pastors Serving In The Church Of God In Christ, Terence O. Hayes Sr
A Phenomenological Investigation Of The Resilience And Success Of African-American Pastors Serving In The Church Of God In Christ, Terence O. Hayes Sr
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The content of this manuscript is research investigated for the resilience and success of pastors in the Church of God in Christ, a Pentecostal denomination that has over six million members, to include over three-thousand pastors. The research is a phenomenological study designed to provide a narrative, interview of the participants to share their background, role, and day-to-day practices of the work of ministry as a senior pastor in this organization. The research will consist of seven to ten pastors selected from across the country, all African-American males, age groups ranging from 42 years to 72 years of age. The …
African American Pastoral Counseling: The Dynamics On Self-Worth, Personal Efficacy, Motivation, And Responsible Discipleship, Charles T. Walker
African American Pastoral Counseling: The Dynamics On Self-Worth, Personal Efficacy, Motivation, And Responsible Discipleship, Charles T. Walker
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This qualitative study evaluated the counseling practices of African American pastors in the Southeastern region of the United States. The study examined their perceptions and relevant themes when counseling their parishioners on self-worth, personal efficacy, and motivation. Relevant themes were: Cultural Context counseling; impaired self-worth and self-love in rural young females; and whether the rural male is dominated by loss of hope. The exploratory study collected data from 19 digital surveys, 10 selected pastoral counselors’ semi-structured interviews, and 10 collected member focus interview questionnaires. The findings from the data collected show that members felt comfortable receiving counseling from their pastor …
How Evangelical Pastors Manage The Four Areas Of The Greatest Commandment—Heart, Soul, Strength, And Mind—And Practical Applications For Obedience, Herbert Kenneth Smith
How Evangelical Pastors Manage The Four Areas Of The Greatest Commandment—Heart, Soul, Strength, And Mind—And Practical Applications For Obedience, Herbert Kenneth Smith
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The researcher was called to pastoral ministry at age fifty. Five decades of life outside ministry lends a unique perspective. The trappings of ministry were not unknown to the researcher, but living out a called ministry, combined with the determination and stamina needed for successful execution, was an unforeseen challenge. Senior pastors of evangelical churches lead busy lives personally and professionally. The pace of life in current culture, secular and religious, impede pastors from observing the greatest commandment with full effort (“all”) as Jesus directs every Christian to do. Obedience to the commandment is directed by Jesus as to employ …
Universal Leadership Model, Derwin Lamont Hickman Sr
Universal Leadership Model, Derwin Lamont Hickman Sr
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The Great Commission is the call of Jesus to his people to go out into the world and make disciples. The universal leadership model presents an opportunity for disciples/leaders to step up and fulfill the Great Commission. The church should be involved in discipleship training, outreaches and supporting the issues that are aligned with Christian ideology and important to people in the communities they serve. An effective universal leadership model should include diversity, training, desired change, accountability and effectiveness of change. In so doing, the church can then find parishioners within the church who may be transformed into disciples/leaders and …
Conservative Holiness Pastors' Ability To Assess Depression And Their Willingness To Refer To Mental Health Professionals, Andrew Graham
Conservative Holiness Pastors' Ability To Assess Depression And Their Willingness To Refer To Mental Health Professionals, Andrew Graham
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this study was to investigate the willingness and ability of Conservative Holiness pastors to assess depression and their willingness to refer to mental health professionals. Eighty-six pastors completed a four-part survey that measured diagnostic accuracy, willingness to refer, attitudes toward mental health, perceived competency to assist, recognition of need for help and confidence in mental health professionals. Demographic characteristics and case study responses were investigated through analysis of frequency data; relationships with demographic variables were analyzed using Spearman's rho and independent t-tests; relationships with variables derived from the scales were analyzed using Pearson Product-Moment Correlation. Analyses found …
A Resource For Pastors And Counselors: Ministering To Spiritual And Emotional Needs Of Those In Ministry, Shirley Craven
A Resource For Pastors And Counselors: Ministering To Spiritual And Emotional Needs Of Those In Ministry, Shirley Craven
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Some pastors are in need of pastoral care and counseling; unfortunately, many will never receive the care they need. Pastors often suffer in silence because they feel they cannot trust revealing their deep dark secrets with fellow clergy. The lack of confidentiality among pastors has caused leaders to struggle in silence with the very issues they preach against: adultery, fornication, pornography, drug, alcohol, etc. The fear of exposure has driven some pastors to seek help in other states where they can remain anonymous. Providing this type of resource will enable pastors to take control of their lives, and seek the …