Pastoral Burnout and Psychosocial Wellbeing among the Clergy in Kiambu Countyat the Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi, Kenya

Clergy members bear significant emotional, spiritual, and pastoral responsibilities, as they provide continuous support and guidance to their congregations—a role that often results in emotional exhaustion and stress. This study examined the relationship between pastoral burnout and psychosocial wellbeing among Catholic clergy in Kiambu County, within the Archdiocese of Nairobi. Specifically, the study examined how demographic factors such as age, educational level, and years of ministry experience relate to burnout dimensions and psychosocial wellbeing. Using a correlational research design and data from a census. 175 priests in the region were involved in the study, the study employed the Maslach Burnout inventory to measure the elements of burnout and the Ryff’s Psychosocial Well-being Scale, and analyzed data through SPSS version 25. This study established a weak negative correlation between psychosocial wellbeing and burnout among priests in Kiambu County. The study also revealed that priests aged 35–40 and over 51 experience greater emotional exhaustion than those aged 41–50. The findings suggest that a greater sense of personal accomplishment is linked to improved psychosocial wellbeing. Consequently, the study recommends revising the training curriculum for priest formation and enhancing ongoing education to address stress management and mitigate burnout.