SLBMI Psychology and Religion Program>> Psychology and Religion Resource Center>> Articles of Interest

Psychological Screening of Candidates for Ministry
David Rowan

Formation of priests, religious, and lay ministers is as vital a responsibility as any facing today’s faith communities. A critical and at times daunting aspect of formation has been assessment, the task of divining the quality, character and skill of the candidate. Over the years assessment has been done with varying degrees of insight, commitment and success. Inevitably, leaders discover that when assessment is neglected or crudely rendered the community and the candidate suffer. Some unfit candidates enter ministry and do damage to themselves and their churches, while other suitable but inadequately prepared candidates struggle unnecessarily to gain insights and skills that could have been taught had the needs been clearly known.

Of course, there have also been exemplars of formation assessment. Some institutions and individuals have conducted whole person evaluations and have integrated findings into practical human and ministerial growth plans. Thanks to the innovation of key staff from the Program for Psychology and Religion at Saint Louis Behavorial Medicine Institute (in particular founder and former director Paul Duckro) and others (notably Lynn McLaughlin), for over a decade we have offered a comprehensive candidate assessment, also called a developmental assessment. Hopefully, the present article, which offers a description of the Program’s candidate assessment process, will generate reflection and dialogue on effective formation practices. Before describing the Program’s specific approach, this article will place the issue in context by offering a brief overview of psychological assessment in general.

A primer on psychological assessment

Out of necessity people have made judgments about functional and dysfunctional human behavior and personality since the earliest social groupings. More often than not the focus was dysfunction, perhaps because avoiding harm and danger were critical for survival. The earliest systems of classification, such as Hippocrates’ theory of the four biles in which too much black bile makes a person melancholic and bed ridden may leave us smiling at their simplicity, but the essential ideas were sound. Some people consistently act in ways that impair both their own lives and negatively impact the lives of those around them. And, it is optimally adaptive to identify and when possible correct problematic behaviors. The bulk of psychological theory and practice follow from these two axioms; we seek to understand maladaptive human behavior through the study of psychopathology and diagnostics and we seek to alleviate suffering through the study and practice of psychotherapy and other change oriented interventions.

Psychological science, of course, continues to grow and evolve. Over the last century mental health professionals have devised increasingly accurate etiological models of mental disorders and commensurately accurate methods for diagnosis. Psychologists in particular have played a significant role in the creation and refinement of assessment methods and techniques, and have come to be known as experts at evaluation. Regarding both acute (what mental health professionals call Axis I disorders) and chronic (what mental health professionals call Axis II disorders) conditions with a combination of scientifically designed and statistically standardized questionnaires and a structured clinical interview, diagnosis is more reliable and precise than ever before. Progress in the arena of diagnostics has occurred simultaneously with advances in treatment so we can be of aid to those who suffer, their families and communities.

In addition to accumulating information on evaluating mental illness and pathology, in recent decades there has been renewed interest in understanding and assessing optimal human functioning. In the sub-field of industrial-organizational psychology, researchers have examined performance in the work place, and discovered aspects of individual character that contribute to impaired and commendable occupational behaviors. Many measures of functional and dysfunctional occupational and leadership behaviors and character styles have been created, the most recent of which are theoretically based, well integrated with other fields (in particular social and personality psychology), scientifically standardized and practically of great value for employee screening and training purposes. With these two modes available, pathology focused diagnostics and occupationally focused strengths/liabilities evaluation, psychologists are uniquely qualified to conduct broadminded vocational assessments.

The Functions of Candidate Assessment: Red Flags and Road Signs

The candidate assessment currently offered at the Program for Psychology and Religion is designed to be an integral piece of a larger process of assessment for formation, lay, priest, religious and otherwise. We use our psychological expertise in the domains of diagnostics and strengths/liabilities to identify existing pathology (red flags) and functional and/or dysfunctional behaviors (road signs).

The symbolism of red flags is clear. There are some candidates with mental disorders, acute and/or chronic, who will need immediate attention. Their disorder must be properly diagnosed and treated to alleviate suffering and avoid mishaps. Here, the role of the evaluating psychologist is to provide the diagnostic information in no uncertain terms, along with clear recommendations for treatment, and warnings if treatment recommendations are not followed.

The meaning of road signs is perhaps a bit abstruse. Clearly all people have characteristics that manifest in functional and dysfunctional ways, and all people have personal strengths and personal weaknesses, aspects the individual needs to develop more fully. Each candidate’s profile of personality characteristics (eg. introvert/extrovert and level of self-acceptance), motivations (eg. toward autonomy or group membership), and leadership styles (eg. rule favoring or rule questioning) offers insight as to these potential capabilities and/or liabilities. Road signs, those critical bits of information that help us find a safe path forward, are pieces of self-knowledge offered to assist the candidate in the journey toward successful ministry. Here, the role of the psychologist is to provide new, unique and descriptive information about the person with suggestions for future action and cautionary notes regarding vulnerabilities.

The Process and Methods of Candidate Assessment

The candidate assessment process occurs in three stages: preparation and reflection, evaluation and testing, and feedback and planning. In the preparation and reflection stage, candidates are informed of the purpose and protocol for assessment and are given questionnaires to complete, which encourage contemplation on their personal histories and path through life. In the evaluation and testing stage, candidates participate in a clinical interview with a psychologist and finish the formal tests (personality, motivation, and workplace/leadership style). After the psychologist has interpreted and integrated the results, a feedback session is given and recommendations are made for future growth in ministry.

As noted by Duckro et al. (2001), “it is still too often true that candidates for ministry see the process of psychological assessment as a hurdle to be cleared.” Such an approach indicates apprehension, perhaps created by a fear of being found unfit (“What if they think I’m crazy?”) and/or about revealing the self in such an intimate and vulnerable way (“Will they judge me negatively when they see my whole self?”). Such misunderstanding of the process can produce defensiveness and resistance in the candidates, who then may exhibit interfering behaviors, ranging from guardedness in their responses to open hostility and anger toward the process, the evaluator or members of the formation team.

In an effort to defuse such reactions and engender a spirit of openness to self-examination, it is critical that due time and effort are spent educating the candidate vis-à-vis the dual purpose of the evaluation and its benefits for the person and the faith community. We begin by honestly and forthrightly reviewing the concepts of red flags and road signs, stressing that the evaluation is not an inquisition or witch-hunt bent on finding fault. During this explanation we strive to present a balanced view. We do not shy away from the possibility that some individuals may be found to have significant psychological issues to confront prior to engaging in the delicate and at times emotionally laden work of ministry. And, we recognize the importance of human resiliency, the possibilities of treatment and/or opportunities for personal growth inherent in the task of earnest self-reflection. The candidate must come to understand that, as they say in 12-step work, taking “a fearless moral inventory” is an essential piece of developing a healthy self who can then be fully prepared to aid others. Once the candidate has this insight, they can complete the Personal History Questionnaire, a self-study in which the candidate is guided to consider significant life stories.

Formal evaluation begins with an interview; for about one and one-half hours the psychologist and candidate meet one-on-one. The psychologist may then inquire about significant events from past and present, look for signs of pathology, encourage exploration of illustrative stories that reveal the character of the individual, and observe social behaviors directly. Candidates also complete a standard battery of tests, each of which provide unique information. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory – 2, a “gold standard” of diagnostic instruments, is used to assess for pathology, both acute and chronic. Edward’s Personal Preference Schedule sheds light on perceived drives and motivating principles. Gough’s California Personality Inventory uses “folk concepts” of social, work and leadership behaviors to describe aspects of personality in these domains of life. Synthesizing stories and test results, the psychologists take, as Duckro et al. described, “a static frame of a moving picture,” a snap-shot of the dynamic person.

At a feedback session the psychologist presents findings and answers questions. Concerning red flags the question is always “Does the candidate suffer with mental disorder, and if so what are the treatment options?” If there is no mental disorder that reaches a diagnostic level, ancillary questions include “Are there problems in living, intra-personal and/or interpersonal habits that interfere with healthy living and adaptive social functioning?” If there are no problems per se, the focus turns to road signs, “How can the candidate evolve and grow, minimize areas of weakness and potential pit-falls and maximize personal and social effectiveness?”

For each candidate the psychologist strives to offer clear, concrete and practical insights and recommendations. At times strong recommendations may be given that the candidate receive mental health care and that the formation team carefully consider the pros and cons of allowing continued pursuit of active ministry as a vocation. It should be noted that, quite often therapy is a recommendation. Many individuals wishing to engage in ministry, which necessitates superlative self-control, social poise and deft leadership, can benefit greatly from insight and understanding gained in individual therapy. Those interested in pastoral ministry all the more need to know what it is like, experientially, to interlock in a therapeutic relationship, with its complex of boundaries, intimacies and revelations.

In Sum

In a well-conceived whole person assessment process for formation in ministry, psychological assessment must be included. A thoughtful psychological assessment can offer valuable information to the candidate, leadership, and others involved in formation so that critical decisions regarding ordination, licensure and/or future placement can be made with the greatest likelihood of success for all concerned. At the Program for Psychology and Religion at Saint Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute we have years of experience in this arena and are available to discuss in detail any questions you may have about our process.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Paul N. Duckro, Lynn J. McLaughlin, Joseph Milner, and Mary Frigon-Milner (2001). Psychological Assessment in Lay Formation. Human Development, Vol. 22, 4.