The Moderating Effect of Social Support on the Relationship Between Occupational Distress and Somatic Symptoms Among Catholic Clergy

Clergy exhibit significantly higher rates of stress, mortality, and chronic disease than the general population. Despite existing research on clergy stress, there remained a gap in understanding how social support affected the relationship between occupational distress and somatic symptoms among Catholic clergy in the United States. The purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental correlational study was to determine if perceived supervisor support and perceived organizational support moderated the relationship between occupational distress and somatic symptoms among clergy. The stress-buffering model of social support was used as the theoretical framework. Data were collected through surveys from a sample of 253 Catholic priests working in the United States. Multiple regression with moderation analyses was conducted to explore the effects of social support on the relationship between occupational distress and somatic symptoms. Results indicated that organizational support significantly predicted lower levels of somatic symptoms, whereas occupational distress and supervisor support did not show significant direct effects. Both perceived supervisor support and perceived organizational support significantly moderated the relationship between occupational distress and somatic symptoms, with supervisor support reducing and organizational support increasing somatic symptoms. The results suggest that tailored social support structures for clergy may alleviate the adverse health effects of occupational distress. These findings can support future research aimed at positive social change by developing effective, tailored support systems for spiritual leaders, potentially improving clergy well-being and, by extension, the well-being of their parishioners.