The PK syndrome: selected case studies and communications processes in preparation of a book about Ministers' children

Ministers' children are commonly characterized as a predominantly unsavory group, as troublemakers or brats. The persistent generalizations about individuals who seemingly have little in common except parental occupation prompted a study of "preachers' kids" (PKs) to be later expanded into a book on the same subject.

Library research uncovered a considerable list of clergy children whose past and present contributions in widely varying fields have greatly enriched western society. Personal interviews (and mail survey research) with 21 ministers' children of various ages, occupations and religious backgrounds revealed a group of individuals with unexpectedly diverse experiences and perspectives despite what appeared to be similar upbringings.

The ministers' children questioned expressed attitudes toward their clergy upbringing ranging from almost entirely positive to almost entirely negative but for the most part agreed that PKs, as a result of that upbringing, are subjected to particularly difficult pressures and problems.

In addition to these findings, the communications processes of conceptualizing, planning, researching, marketing and promoting the proposed book about ministers' children were discussed and documented to provide an informal record of procedures for development of a publishable book.