Research Article

Spiritual Dryness as a Measure of a Specific Spiritual Crisis in Catholic Priests: Associations with Symptoms of Burnout and Distress

Table 1

Characteristics of 425 Catholic priests.

Variables%*

Age categories (born between) (%)
 1980 and 19893
 1970 and 197914
 1960 and 196928
 1950 and 195916
 1940 and 194911
 1930 and 193922
 1920 and 19297
Living situation (%)
 Alone40.2
 Alone but with external housekeeper 28.2
 With housekeeper16.6
 With other priests 6.5
 With others (i.e., family)3.4
 Other living facilities5.1
Duration of work (%)
 <10 h per week5
 10–20 h per week11
 20–30 h per week7
 30–40 h per week9
 40–50 h per week26
 50–60 h per week28
 60–70 h per week12
Work engagement (UWES) (mean ± SD, range)4.1 ± 1.1 (1–7)
Health associated and personal variables (mean ± SD, range)
 Distress (BSI)—general severity index 9.5 ± 9.5 (0–58)
 Body mass index (BMI) (normal range)27.4 ± 4.5 [20–25]
 Perceived stress (PSS)20.1 ± 6.9 (1–40)
 Burnout (MBI)—emotional exhaustion17.3 ± 10.8 (0–50)
 Burnout (MBI)—depersonalization5.3 ± 5.4 (0–25)
 Burnout (MBI)—personal
 accomplishment
32.8 ± 9.8 (0–48)
 Life satisfaction (SWLS)26.0 ± 6.1 (5–35)
 Life orientation (LOT-R)-optimism3.8 ± 0.8 (1–5)
 Life orientation (LOT-R)-pessimism2.4 ± 0.8 (1–5)
 Self-efficacy (GES)26.7 ± 5.7 (3–40)
 Sense of coherence (SOC)62.9 ± 10.0 (26–86)
Spiritual engagement (mean ± SD, range)
 Daily spiritual experiences (DSEs)4.0 ± 0.9 (1–6)
 Importance of active religious practices
 (SpREUK-P Ipt)
61.8 ± 18.3 (0–100)
 Importance of gratitude/awe
 (SpREUK-P Ipt)
70.1 ± 21.6 (0–100)
 Importance of passive religious activities
 (SpREUK-P Ipt)
64.9 ± 21.1 (0–100)
 Importance of eastern spiritual practices
 (SpREUK-P Ipt)
8.8 ± 15.1 (0–78)
 Importance of existential activities
 (SpREUK-P Ipt)
63.9 ± 20.8 (0–100)
 Importance of humanistic activities
 (SpREUK-P Ipt)
69.4 ± 15.5 (25–100)

 *The relative proportions were referred to the number of respondents.