The Selah Study: A Behavioral Trial of Three Stress Management Interventions in US Clergy

Locations
USA
Categories
Community-based, Spirituality
Project leads / PIs
  • Rae Jean Proeschold-Bell, PhD; Research Professor, DGHI; Duke University; (PI, rae.jean@duke.edu)
  • David Eagle, PhD, Associate Research Professor, DGHI; Duke University; (Research Co-Director, david.eagle@duke.edu)
Partners
North Carolina United Methodist Church; Using a partially randomized preference-based trial design, we tested three interventions for stress symptom reduction among United Methodist clergy in North Carolina, USA with positive outcomes for two: 1) mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and 2) Daily Examen, a five-step prayer practice with components of gratitude, present-focus, and emotion identification. Compared to the waitlist control group at 6 months, participants in the MBSR and Daily Examen conditions had significantly better stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms, plus higher positive mental health. MBSR participants had significantly better heart rate variability, a physiological measure of resilience. Rarely are prayer practices tested for stress management.Western North Carolina United Methodist Church
Team members
  • Joshua Rash, PhD, Professor, University of Saskatchewan (Investigator, jarash@mun.ca)
More Information

The Selah Study: A Behavioral Trial of Three Stress Management Interventions in US Clergy Project Leads: Rae Jean Proeschold-Bell, PhD; David Eagle, PhD

Project overview

Using a partially randomized preference-based trial design, we tested three interventions for stress symptom reduction among United Methodist clergy in North Carolina, USA with positive outcomes for two: 1) mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and 2) Daily Examen, a five-step prayer practice with components of gratitude, present-focus, and emotion identification. Compared to the waitlist control group at 6 months, participants in the MBSR and Daily Examen conditions had significantly better stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms, plus higher positive mental health. MBSR participants had significantly better heart rate variability, a physiological measure of resilience. Rarely are prayer practices tested for stress management.

Related publications
Hill, C. (2023, March 24). Ministering to ministers. Duke Magazine. https://dukemag.duke.edu/stories/ministering-ministers