The Influence of Secular and Theological Education on Pastor’s Views of Clinical Depression
Jennifer Shepard Payne, PhD, LCSW, University of Illinois at
Chicago
Will a pastor refer a clinically depressed individual to a mental health center or a medical doctor? If they feel qualified to work with an individual themselves, they may not. This presentation explores data from the Clergy Depressive Counseling Survey to discuss if a pastor's theological and/or secular education affects their decisions about treating and referring depressed individuals.
As community gatekeepers, pastors are often the first to encounter depressed individuals. This occurs much more often for resource-poor communities. Although pastors are exposed to depressed individuals frequently, prior literature states that pastors may not feel adequately trained to handle situations like clinical depression.
Statement 1: "The pastor is the best person to treat depression".
In the Clergy Depressive Counseling Survey, there was a statistically significant difference in how many pastors agreed with this statement based on their level of secular education (Fisher's exact=0.03). Interestingly, more pastors with some college but no degree (92%) felt that they were the best person to treat depression. Pastors with other secular education levels (no college or at least a BA and above) agreed less with this statement.
There was no statistically significant difference in how many pastors agreed with the statement based on area of secular education (Fisher's exact=0.13). Thus, there was no statistically significant difference between how pastors without a secular degree, pastors with a counseling-related degree, pastors with an applied science or health degree or pastors with other secular degrees answered this question.
Surprisingly, pastors who had some type of counseling degree (psychiatry, psychology, social work, etc.) did not agree to the statement significantly more than other pastors did.
There was no statistical difference in agreement about this statement based on a pastor's level of theological education (from none to Theological doctorate, Fisher's exact=.90). In addition, there was no difference in agreement about this statement based on the type of theological education pastors had, even if they had counseling-related theological training (Fisher's exact=.27) or if they had specifically engaged in pastoral counseling training (Fisher's exact=.23).
Statement 2: "The best treatment is to refer to a medical doctor"
There was no statistically significant difference in agreement on this statement, regardless of secular or theological education level (Fisher's exact=.20 and .22, respectively). There was also no difference between pastoral agreement based upon the area of secular or theological education a pastor had experience in (Fisher's exact= .06 and .49, respectively). Thus, agreement about referral was not influenced by secular or theological education.
The implications for this presentation are important. High levels of theological or secular education in pastors do not necessarily correlate with referring depressed individuals to treatment, even if that education was health or counseling related. As practitioners, we need to think more deeply about the exact constellation of training that pastors may need to think positively about referring clinically depressed individuals to medical doctors or mental health practitioners.
Will a pastor refer a clinically depressed individual to a mental health center or a medical doctor? If they feel qualified to work with an individual themselves, they may not. This presentation explores data from the Clergy Depressive Counseling Survey to discuss if a pastor's theological and/or secular education affects their decisions about treating and referring depressed individuals.
As community gatekeepers, pastors are often the first to encounter depressed individuals. This occurs much more often for resource-poor communities. Although pastors are exposed to depressed individuals frequently, prior literature states that pastors may not feel adequately trained to handle situations like clinical depression.
Statement 1: "The pastor is the best person to treat depression".
In the Clergy Depressive Counseling Survey, there was a statistically significant difference in how many pastors agreed with this statement based on their level of secular education (Fisher's exact=0.03). Interestingly, more pastors with some college but no degree (92%) felt that they were the best person to treat depression. Pastors with other secular education levels (no college or at least a BA and above) agreed less with this statement.
There was no statistically significant difference in how many pastors agreed with the statement based on area of secular education (Fisher's exact=0.13). Thus, there was no statistically significant difference between how pastors without a secular degree, pastors with a counseling-related degree, pastors with an applied science or health degree or pastors with other secular degrees answered this question.
Surprisingly, pastors who had some type of counseling degree (psychiatry, psychology, social work, etc.) did not agree to the statement significantly more than other pastors did.
There was no statistical difference in agreement about this statement based on a pastor's level of theological education (from none to Theological doctorate, Fisher's exact=.90). In addition, there was no difference in agreement about this statement based on the type of theological education pastors had, even if they had counseling-related theological training (Fisher's exact=.27) or if they had specifically engaged in pastoral counseling training (Fisher's exact=.23).
Statement 2: "The best treatment is to refer to a medical doctor"
There was no statistically significant difference in agreement on this statement, regardless of secular or theological education level (Fisher's exact=.20 and .22, respectively). There was also no difference between pastoral agreement based upon the area of secular or theological education a pastor had experience in (Fisher's exact= .06 and .49, respectively). Thus, agreement about referral was not influenced by secular or theological education.
The implications for this presentation are important. High levels of theological or secular education in pastors do not necessarily correlate with referring depressed individuals to treatment, even if that education was health or counseling related. As practitioners, we need to think more deeply about the exact constellation of training that pastors may need to think positively about referring clinically depressed individuals to medical doctors or mental health practitioners.