Clergy referral for counseling problems

The purpose of the study was to find out which demographic variables affect clergy referral for counseling problems. Previous researchers have disagreed on the predictors of referral. The researcher set out to examine the clergy referral patterns for counseling problems in the Knoxville, Tennessee, geographic area. Research surveys were mailed to all 536 churches listed in the Knoxville BellSouth Yellow Pages to collect clergy demographic information and clergy referral patterns for specific counseling problems. Seventy were returned as undeliverable resulting in 466 potential clergy respondents. One hundred thirty five were returned for a 29% return rate. The data were analyzed by chi-square analyses. Telephone calls were made to thirty more clergy members, ten from each of the first three groups, fundamental Protestant, conservative Protestant, and conventional Protestant in order to examine for nonresponse bias. Data were collected over the telephone and compared to the respondents. Several statistically significant results were discovered.

Differences in referral patterns of clergy were found in three demographic areas. Age of clergy, training in counseling, and size of congregation were found to be predictors of clergy referral. Clergy age 40 and under were more likely to refer for counseling problems than clergy older than 40. Clergy with advanced training in counseling were more likely to refer than clergy with minimal or no training. Clergy serving larger congregations were more likely to refer than clergy serving smaller congregations.

There were also significant differences in the referral patterns of clergy in four of the six counseling problem areas. For drug and alcohol and mental illness issues there were no significant differences between the respondents of the study.

When clergy were faced with marriage and family counseling problems, congregational size was the best predictor of clergy referral. The larger church clergy were found to refer more than the smaller church clergy for marriage and family issues. Seventy four percent of the younger (18-40) clergy referred for marriage and family issuesClergy with minimal or no training tended not to refer for marriage and family counseling.

Congregational size, educational level, and training in counseling were found to be predictors that clergy will refer for spiritual and moral counseling problems. Clergy from larger churches tended to refer much more for spiritual and moral problems than clergy from smaller congregations. Clergy with a Bachelor's degree or less were less likely to refer for spiritual and moral counseling problems than clergy with a Master's or Doctorate degree. Clergy with minimal or no training were more likely not to refer for spiritual and moral counseling problems than clergy with advanced training in counseling.

Theological orientation and training in counseling were found to be predictors of clergy referral concerning life adjustment counseling problems. The more liberal clergy (self-designated) were more likely to refer than the more moderate and conservative clergy for life adjustment issues. Again, clergy with minimal or no training in counseling were more likely not to refer for life adjustment counseling problemsClergy with advanced training were more likely to refer for life adjustment counseling problemsWhen clergy were faced with sexual issues, congregational size was the best predictor of referralClergy in the larger churches tended to refer more than clergy in the smaller congregations.