Abstract
In this study, we investigated the longitudinal relationships between self-compassion, self-coldness, spiritual well-being, and burnout in a sample of 154 Taiwanese clergy aged 26 to 72 years old (M = 45.1, SD = 10.8). Results from the bivariate analysis revealed that self-compassion was positively associated with spiritual well-being and negatively associated with burnout. On the contrary, self-coldness was positively correlated with burnout and negatively correlated with spiritual well-being. We then ran a cross-lagged model analysis to examine the longitudinal and reciprocal relationships among the studied variables. Results revealed that clergy’s self-reported self-compassion at baseline predicted higher levels of spiritual well-being 8 months later. Furthermore, clergy burnout at baseline predicted lower levels of self-compassion and spiritual well-being 8 months later. Practical implications of promoting clergy spiritual well-being and protecting them against burnout were discussed.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
