title: Professional boundary violations and mentalizing in the clergy.
abstract: Increasing attention has been focused on mental health problems of clergy in light of long work hours, extraordinary demands, and diversity of tasks. In this communication we report findings from the psychiatric evaluation of 70 Episcopal priests. We describe psychiatric diagnoses, but our focus is on two common themes that emerged: difficulties maintaining professional boundaries and problems with mentalizing, i.e., imagining the impact of their behavior and words on others. Recommendations for education and prevention are addressed.
authors.affiliation: Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Houston, TX, USA. hollycrisphan@thegabbardcenter.com
authors.forename: Holly
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Crisp-Han
authors.forename: Glen O
authors.initials: GO
authors.lastname: Gabbard
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martinez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D002410:Catholicism; D002977:Clergy / Q000523:psychology*; D004995:Ethics, Professional; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010327:Pastoral Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011363:Professional Impairment / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D033303:Protestantism; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology