Burnout represents a complex occupational risk with significant psychosocial implications. This study estimates the prevalence of burnout among Spanish Catholic priests and examines its correlations with sociodemographic, quality of life, anxiety, depression, and personality factors. A total of 116 priests completed a battery of psychological instruments. The prevalence results varied depending on the assessment scale used. Lifestyle, type of priesthood, quality of life, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and personality traits, were significantly correlated with burnout.
AdamsC. J.HoughH.Proeschold-BellR.YaoJ.KolkinM. (2017). Clergy burnout: A comparison study with other helping professions. Pastoral Psychology, 66(2), 147–175. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11089-016-0722-4
2.
AngeliniG. (2023). Big five model personality traits and job burnout: A systematic literature review. BMC Psychology, 11(1), 1–35. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-023-01056-y
3.
ArbuckleG. A. (2019). Abuse and Cover-Up: Refounding the Catholic Church in Trauma. Orbis Books.
4.
ÁvilaA. (2023). El cansancio del clero. Un reto para hoy y para el futuro. PPC.
5.
BarzonP.CaltabianoM.RonzoniG. (2006). Il burnout tra i preti di una diocesi italiana. Orientamenti Pedagogici, 53(2), 313–335. https://rivistedigitali.erickson.it/orientamenti-pedagogici/archivio/vol-53-n-2/il-burnout-tra-i-preti-di-una-diocesi-italiana/
6.
BocalonP. C.RossatoL.Scorsolini-CominF.Dal Sasso MendesK. (2024). Mental illness in Catholic priests: Evidence for research and mental health care. Mental Health, Religion & Culture, 27(7), 721–739. https://doi.org/10.1080/13674676.2024.2436435
7.
Buela-CasalG.Guillén-RiquelmeA.Seisdedos-CuberoN. (2023). STAI. Cuestionario de Ansiedad Estado-Rasgo. Manual. Adaptación española (10th ed. revisada). Tea Ediciones.
8.
BüssingA.BaumannK.JacobsC.FrickE. (2017). Spiritual dryness in catholic priests: Internal resources as possible buffers. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 9(1), 46–55. https://doi.org/10.1037/rel0000063
9.
BüssingA.GüntherA.BaumannK.FrickE.JacobsC. (2013). Spiritual dryness as a measure of a specific spiritual crisis in Catholic priests: Associations with symptoms of burnout and distress. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013, 246797. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/246797
10.
CorderoA.PamosA.SeisdedosN. (2008). Inventario de Personalidad NEO-Revisado (NEO PI-R). Inventario NEO Reducido de Cinco Factores (NEO-FFI). Manual profesional (3rd ed. revisada y ampliada). Tea Ediciones.
11.
Cordovilla-PérezA. (2021). Como el Padre me envió, así os envío yo. Teología y espiritualidad del ministerio apostólico presbiteral. Sígueme.
12.
CostaP. T.McCraeR. R. (1992). NEO PI-R, Revised Neo Personality Inventory and NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI). Professional manual. Psychological Assessment Resources.
13.
CozzensD. B. (2000). The changing Face of the Priesthood. A reflection on the Priest's Crisis of Soul. Liturgical Press.
14.
CreaG. (2015). Tonache ferite. Forme del disagio nella vita religiosa e sacerdotale. Dehoniane.
15.
De Lima DiasR. J. (2019). Burnout among catholic priests in Brazil: Prevalence and associated factors. Interação em Psicologia, 23(2), 255–267. https://doi.org/10.5380/psi.v23i02.65076
DemeroutiE.BakkerA.PeetersM.BreevaartK. (2021). New directions in burnout research. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 30(5), 686–691. https://doi.org/10.1080/1359432X.2021.1979962
18.
Edú-ValsaniaS.LaguíaA.MorianoJ. A. (2022). Burnout: A review of theory and measurement. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(3), 1780. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031780
19.
FabriJ. M. G.FrancisL. J.McKennaU.RoldãoL. I. F.PereiraE. R.VillageA.CaldeiraS. (2025). Work-related psychological wellbeing of Catholic priests in Portugal: Cross-cultural adaptation of the Francis Burnout Inventory. Journal of Religion and Health, 64(2), 1287–1300. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-025-02275-w
FrancisL. J.CreaG. (2015). Work-related psychological health and psychological type: A study among catholic priests in Italy. Mental Health, Religion & Culture, 18(7), 593–604. https://doi.org/10.1080/13674676.2014.963996
22.
FrancisL. J.CreaG.LaycockP. (2021). Factor structure, reliability and validity of the Francis Burnout Inventory revised among catholic priests and religious sisters in Italy. Mental Health, Religion & Culture, 24(3), 271–282. https://doi.org/10.1080/13674676.2020.1786507
23.
FrancisL. J.HaleyJ. M.McKennaU. (2022). Work-related psychological wellbeing and conservative Christian belief among Methodist circuit ministers in Britain: Distinguishing between emotional exhaustion and satisfaction in ministry. Journal of Religion and Health, 62(3), 1636–1657. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-022-01637-y
24.
FrancisL. J.KaldorP.RobbinsM.CastleK. (2005). Happy but exhausted? Assessing two dimensions of work-related psychological health among clergy in Australia, England and New Zealand. Pastoral Sciences, 24(2), 101–120.
25.
FrancisL. J.LaycockP.CreaG. (2017). Assessing clergy work-related psychological health: Reliability and validity of the Francis Burnout Inventory. Mental Health, Religion & Culture, 20(9), 911–921. https://doi.org/10.1080/13674676.2017.1373333
26.
FrancisL. J.LoudenS. H.RutledgeC. J. F. (2004). Burnout among Roman Catholic parochial clergy in England and Wales: Myth or reality? Review of Religious Research, 46(1), 5–19. https://doi.org/10.2307/3512249
Gil-MonteP. R. (Coord.) (2019). Prevención y tratamiento del síndrome de quemarse por el trabajo (burnout). Programa de intervención. Pirámide.
29.
Guseva CanuI.MarcaS. C.Dell’OroF.BalázsÁ.BergamaschiE.BesseC.BianchiR.BislimovskaJ.Koscec BjelajacA.BuggeM.BusneagC. I.ÇağlayanÇ.CernitanuM.Costa PereiraC.Dernovšček HafnerN.DrozN.EgliteM.GodderisL.GündelH.WahlenA. (2021). Harmonized definition of occupational burnout: A systematic review, semantic analysis, and Delphi consensus in 29 countries. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health, 47(2), 95–107. https://doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.3935
30.
HollemanA.EagleD. (2023). Is there a crisis in clergy health?: Reorienting research using a national sample. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 62(3), 580–604. https://doi.org/10.1111/jssr.12859
IsaccoA.SahkerE.HamiltonD.MannarinoM. B.SimW.St JeanM. (2014). A qualitative study of mental health help-seeking among Catholic priests. Mental Health, Religion and Culture, 17(7), 741–757. https://doi.org/10.1080/13674676.2014.910759
34.
JosephE.CorveleynJ.LuytenP.De WitteH. (2010). Does commitment to celibacy lead to burnout or enhance engagement? A study among the Indian catholic clergy. European Journal of Mental Health, 5(2), 187–204. https://doi.org/10.1556/EJMH.5.2010.2.2
35.
JosephE.LuytenP.CorveleynJ.De WitteH. (2011). The relationship between personality, burnout, and engagement among the Indian clergy. The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 21(4), 276–288. https://doi.org/10.1080/10508619.2011.607412
36.
KnoxS.VirginiaS.LombardoP. J. (2002). Depression and anxiety in Roman Catholic secular clergy. Pastoral Psychology, 50(5), 345–358. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1014461603872
37.
KoenigH. G.Al ZabenF. (2021). Psychometric validation and translation of religious and spiritual measures. Journal of Religion and Health, 60(5), 3467–3486.https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-021-01373-9
38.
KostickM. D.ZhuX. (2023). Factors impacting turnover intention of Catholic priests in the Eastern region of the United States. Mental Health, Religion & Culture, 26(10), 1055–1064. https://doi.org/10.1080/13674676.2024.2316639
39.
KostickM. D.ZhuX.HaegeleJ. A.BakerP. (2024). Predictors of occupational distress of catholic priests on the eastern seaboard of the united states. Pastoral Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11089-024-01128-9
40.
KoutsimaniP.MontgomeryA.GeorgantaK. (2019). The relationship between burnout, depression, and anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 284. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00284
41.
LeiterM. P.MaslachC. (2011). Areas of Worklife Survey Manual (5th ed.). Mind Garden.
42.
LeiterM. P.MaslachC. (2016). Latent burnout profiles: A new approach to understanding the burnout experience. Burnout Research, 3(4), 89–100. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.burn.2016.09.001
43.
LópezH. (2012). Sacerdocio y burnout. El desgaste en la vida sacerdotal. San Pablo.
44.
López-HerreraH.PedrosaI.Vicente-GalindoM. P.Suárez-ÁlvarezJ.Galindo-VillardónM. P.García-CuetoE. (2014). Multivariate analysis of burnout syndrome in Latin-American priests. Psicothema, 26(2), 227–234. https://doi.org/10.7334/psicothema2013.178
45.
Lucas-CarrascoR. (1998). Versión española del WHOQOL. Ergón.
46.
Lucas-CarrascoR. (2012). The WHO quality of life (WHOQOL) questionnaire: Spanish development and validation studies. Quality of Life Research, 21(1), 161–165. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-011-9926-3
47.
MachoguL.AmissahT.NtarangweM. (2022). Stress and psycho-social wellbeing among the diocesan catholic priests in the arch-diocese of Nairobi, Kenya. International Journal of Arts and Social Science, 5(8), 118–129. https://ijassjournal.com/2022/V5I8/414665917.pdf
48.
Man-GingC. I.FrickE.BaumannK. (2018). Coping mechanisms for psychosomatic symptoms among aging Roman Catholic German priests. Journal of Religion and Health, 57(5), 1793–1807. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-018-0582-6
49.
MaslachC. (1976). Burned-out. Human Behavior, 5, 16–22.
50.
MaslachC. (2017). Finding solutions to the problem of burnout. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 69(2), 143–152. https://doi.org/10.1037/cpb0000090
51.
MaslachC.JacksonS.LeiterM. P. (2018). Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) Manual (4th ed.). Mind Garden.
52.
MaslachC.JacksonS. E. (1981). The measurement of experienced burnout. Journal Of Organizational Behavior, 2(2), 99–113. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.4030020205
53.
MaslachC.LeiterM. P. (2017). Understanding burnout. New models. In CooperC. L.y QuickJ. C. (Eds.), The handbook of stress and health: A guide to research and practice (pp. 36–56). John Wiley & Sons. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118993811
MuñizJ.ElosuaP.HambletonR. K. (2013). Directrices para la traducción y adaptación de los tests: Segunda edición. Psicothema, 25(2), 151–157. https://doi.org/10.7334/psicothema2013.24
PacciollaA.SanagiottoV. (2022). Exaustos, porém, realizados! análise descritiva da síndrome de burnout entre os padres e religiosos brasileiros. Revista Eclesiástica Brasileira, 82(321), 193–207. https://doi.org/10.29386/reb.v82i321.3942
58.
Picornell-GallarD. (2025). ¿Están “quemados” los sacerdotes? Aportaciones de la psicología: Situación actual y perspectivas. Seminarios sobre los Ministerios en la Iglesia, 71(236), 9–30. https://doi.org/10.52039/seminarios.v71i236.5230
59.
Picornell-GallarD.González-FraileE. (2024). Burnout syndrome among Catholic clergy: A systematic review. Journal of Religion and Health, 63(3), 1830–1848. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-023-01883-8
60.
PietteC.CossonM.DiguetH.PotierD. (2020). Étude sur la santé des prêtres diocésains en activité. Rapport final.Icone Médiation Santé.
61.
PlanteT. G. (2020). Clericalism contributes to religious, spiritual, and behavioral struggles among Catholic priests. Religions, 11(5), 217. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel11050217
62.
RadloffL. S. (1977). The CES-D scale: A self-report depression scale for research in the general population. Applied Psychological Measurement, 1(3), 385–401. https://doi.org/10.1177/014662167700100306
R Core Team. (2024). R. A Language and Environment for Statistical Computing. [Computer Software]. https://www.R-project.org
65.
RossettiS. J. (2023). Priesthood in a Time of Crisis: A New Study of the Psychological and Spiritual Health of Priests. Ave Maria Press.
66.
RossettiS. J.RhoadesC. J. (2013). Burnout in catholic clergy: A predictive model using psychological and spiritual variables. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 5(4), 335–341. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0033639
67.
Ruiz-PradaM. (2025). Organización de la Iglesia, trabajo pastoral y sacerdotes quemados. Seminarios sobre los Ministerios en la Iglesia, 71(236), 33–51. https://doi.org/10.52039/seminarios.v71i236.5359
68.
Ruiz-PradaM.Fernández-SalineroS.García-AelC.TopaG. (2021). Occupational stress and Catholic priests: A scoping review of the literature. Journal of Religion and Health, 60(6), 3807–3870. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-021-01352-0
69.
San José PriscoJ. (2023). Nunca van a faltar crisis en la vida de los sacerdotes. In DaucourtG. Sacerdotes rotos (pp. 75–116). Sígueme.
SchaufeliW. B. (2021). The burnout enigma solved?Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health, 47(3), 169–170. https://doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.3950
72.
ShomanY.MarcaS. C.BianchiR.GodderisL.van der MolenH. F.Guseva CanuI. (2021). Psychometric properties of burnout measures: A systematic review. Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences, 30, e8, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1017/S2045796020001134
73.
SolerJ.Pérez-SolaV.PuigdemontD.Pérez-BlancoJ.FigueresM.ÁlvarezE. (1997). Estudio de validación del Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depresion (CES-D) en una población española de pacientes con trastornos afectivos. Actas Luso Españolas de Neurología, Psiquiatría y Ciencias Afines, 25(4), 243–249.
74.
SpielbergerC. D.GorsuchR. L.LusheneH. E. (1970). STAI. Manual for the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (Self Evaluation Questionnaire). Consulting Psychologist Press.
75.
TerryJ. D.CunninghamC. J. (2020). The sacred and stressed: Testing a model of clergy health. Journal of Religion and Health, 59(3), 1541–1566. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-019-00920-9
76.
The Jamovi Project. (2024). Jamovi (Version 2.4.12 para macOS) [Computer Software]. https://www.jamovi.org
77.
Ufficio Centrale di Statistica della Chiesa. (2025). Annuario Pontificio 2025. Editrice Vaticana.
VirginiaS. G. (1998). Burnout and depression among Roman Catholic secular, religious, and monastic clergy. Pastoral Psychology, 47(1), 49–67. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022944830045
80.
WebbB. L.ChaseK. (2018). Occupational distress and health among a sample of Christian clergy. Pastoral Psychology, 68(3), 331–343. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11089-018-0844-y
