Predictors of Occupational Distress of Catholic Priests on the Eastern Seaboard of the United States

With ever-increasing demands placed upon active priests in the United States, insight into protecting their mental health may help strengthen vocational resilience for individual priests. The purpose of this study was to examine the association of individual variables, workplace characteristics, and physical activity participation with occupational distress levels among Catholic priests. A 22-question survey consisting of a demographic questionnaire, the Clergy Occupational Distress Index, and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire was employed to collect individual variables, workplace characteristics, physical activity participation, and occupational distress levels of Catholic priests from the Eastern seaboard of the United States. Regression analyses showed that the number of years ordained (β = −.24, p < .01) and number of priests residing together (β = −.11, p = .05) were negatively associated with occupational distress levels. Collectively, these demographic, workplace, and physical activity variables accounted for about 10