The Relationship Between Self-Actualization and Adjustment Among American Catholic Priests

Abstract

The present study was concerned with the relationship between self-actualization and adjustment among American Catholic priests. The Personal Orientation Inventory (POI), a measure of self-actualization, and the Loyola Sentence Completion Blank for Clergymen (LSCBC), a measure of adjustment, were administered to 218 American Catholic priests. A mean correlation of r = -.19 (p < .01) between POI scales and total LSCBC score was found. Thus a low positive relationship between self-actualization and adjustment among American Catholic priests was indicated (negative correlations signifying positive relationships because of the direction of the scales associated with test construction). POI scales which were correlated the highest with total adjustment were Self-Regard (-.36, p < .01) and Time Competence (-.31, p < .01).

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