Strategies for Designing Clergy and Spouse Obesity-Related Programs

Purpose: Clergy have influence on the health of congregations and communities yet struggle with health behaviors. Interventions tailored to their occupation-specific demands and unique needs may provide a solution. Qualitative methods were used to identify opportunities and resources for the development of an effective obesity-related program for clergy. Approach: Ninety-minute focus groups were held with clergy (3 groups) and spouses (3 separate groups). Discussion explored: Program target(s); Opportunities and barriers that influence diet, physical activity, and stress-reduction practices; Empowering and culturally relevant health promotion strategies. Setting: All study activities took place in Memphis, TN. Participants: Eighteen clergy and fourteen spouses participated. All clergy were male, all spouses were female. Method: Previous research with clergy informed the interview guide and the PEN-3 framework aided in organizing the coding of clergy and spouse focus groups. Focus groups were audio recorded and transcripts analyzed using NVivo® 12. Results: Themes included: 1) Intervention targets—clergy, spouses, congregations; 2) Opportunities and barriers—making time, establishing boundaries, church traditions, individuals who support and hinder behavior change; 3) Intervention strategies—tools for healthy eating, goal setting, camaraderie, combining face-to-face with eHealth modalities. Conclusion: The relationship between clergy, spouse, and congregation make it important for obesity-related programs to target the unique needs of both clergy and spouses. Strategies should focus on healthy eating and personal connections no matter the modality used.

Married to the Minister: The Status of the Clergy Spouse as Part of a Two-Person Single Career

Clergy spouses have long been considered unpaid partners in two-person single careers, but a number of social forces may have begun to challenge that, including the ordination of women and increasingly accepted alternatives to traditional family forms. This study surveyed more than 3,000 United Methodist clergy spouses to assess the status of that role, focusing especially on gender, age, and region of the United States. It was determined that gender has the strongest effect, as male spouses are significantly more likely to be nontraditional than their female counterparts. To a lesser degree, younger spouses and those not from the South are also more likely to act in nontraditional ways. Higher income and higher education were also found to be correlated with nontraditional behaviors. Although the large majority of respondents continue to replicate the traditional clergy spouse model, changes seem to be underway, led primarily by the male spouses of clergy women.

Perception of Stress among Clergy and Their Spouses

Twenty-one parish clergy and eleven clergy spouses attending a stress workshop were asked to rate a list of 43 stressors. The hypothesis that certain stressors would emerge as common for both clergy and spouses tended to be affirmed in that eight out of the fourteen greatest stressors in both groups were held in common. The hypotheses that clergy would be more aware of stress in relation to church duties and that spouses would be more aware of stress in relation to their family and personal lives tended to be disaffirmed.