The Prevalence and Severity of Depression Among Clergy in Kenya

Timothy W. Juma, Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology Candidate; Laban Ayiro, Ph.D; & Michael Njeru, Ph.D., Daystar University

Depression among clergy is yet to be fully studied, especially given that pastoral work is a highly regarded profession where clergy are seen as the gatekeepers of society and the last port of call when congregants face challenges, including mental health problems. The clergy also face stigma and isolation when they try to seek psychological interventions (Noel & Due, 2019). Thus, the prevalence of depression among clergy remains largely unexplored. The purpose of the current study was to explore the prevalence and severity of depression among clergy in Kenya. Both census and snowballing techniques were employed to recruit the 135 clergy members from mainstream churches affiliated with Love INC., Kenya, of which 123 (88 male, 35 females; 26-65 years) gave full questionnaire responses and were thus eligible for the study. A descriptive research design was used to collect data using a researcher-generated socio-demographic questionnaire and Beck’s Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) to assess depressive symptoms. Data was analyzed quantitatively using descriptive and inferential statistics utilizing the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 29). The findings showed that the prevalence of depression was 52% (n=64) of the clergy showing signs of depression, of which 29.3% (n=36) had mild depression, 7.3% (n=9) had borderline clinical depression, 12.2% (n=15) experienced moderate depression, and 3.3% (n=4) suffered from severe depression. Depression prevalence was statistically similar between genders (female 54.3%, male 51.1%). However, age played a significant role (χ² (4) =10.94, p=.027), with younger clergy aged 26-35 years (72%) and those aged 46-55 years (56.8%) showing higher rates of depression. The findings indicate that over half of the clergy had depressive symptoms, with the younger clergy and middle-aged showing vulnerability. However, contrary to previous findings, both genders had statistically similar rates of depression.  The study thus recommends targeted mental health interventions for clergy based on age group susceptibilities and a focus on some gender-based risk factors for depression that could be addressed through psychotherapy. The study thus offers insight into clergy mental wellness that could guide future interventions.

Keywords: Pastor, Clergy, Depression, BDI, Prevalence, Severity, Sociodemographic, Mental health