Abstract
M.Phil.
This research focuses on aspects of burnout amongst ministers of religion in the Dutch •
Reformed Church ("NG Kerk") Synod of Southern Transvaal.
Burnout is a common metaphor for a state of mental exhaustion, usually work-related.
It is described as a syndrome of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and reduced
personal accomplishment that can occur among individuals who do 'people work' of
some kind.
Research literature describes the general symptomatology of the syndrome, its
preconditions, as well as the domain in which it occurs. From the literature it becomes
apparent that burnout is a persistent, negative, work-related state of mind in 'normal'
individuals that is primarily characterised by exhaustion, which is accompanied by
distress, a sense of reduced effectiveness, decreased motivation, and the development
of dysfunctional attitudes and behaviours at work. This psychological condition
develops gradually but may remain unnoticed for a long time by the individual involved.
It results from a misfit between intentions and reality at the job. Often burnout is selfperpetuating
because of inadequate coping strategies that are associated with the
syndrome. The research design can be typified as exploratory, descriptive and quantitative.
The central hypothesis of this study is that burnout is the product of specific factors in
the person-work environment interaction of ministers in the Dutch Reformed Church.
With the aim of the study in mind, the following research process was followed:
A literature review as theoretical grounding for burnout in general, as well
as the analysis of literature specifically on burnout amongst ministers of
religion.
The development of a questionnaire, based on the review of literature,
as self-report measure for burnout amongst ministers.
After a field investigation, with the questionnaire as a method of data
collection (on two occasions, 20 months apart), the data were analysed,
consolidated, displayed and interpreted.
The consolidated data were also interpreted in the broader perspective
of the theoretical framework and recommendations were made about aspects of burnout amongst ministers in the Dutch Reformed Church.
Possible causes, negative outcomes, ways of coping, interventions and
support were explicated.
The most important findings on aspects of burnout amongst ministers of the Dutch
Reformed Church, as shown in this study, are: low horizontal mobility, quantitative work
overload, time pressure, negative personal experience of the work situation, a negative
evaluation of training and the negative evaluation of personal well-being because of the
work situation.
It can be concluded that ministers of the Dutch Reformed Church are at risk of burnout,
caused by unique stressors in their work environment.