A Survey Study of Psychological Assessment Practices in the Screening and Admission Process of Candidates to the Priesthood in the U.S. Catholic Church
Author: Gerard J. McGlone
November 1, 2010
This article, co-authored by Senior Research Fellow Rev. Gerard J. McGlone, S.J., investigates the policies and procedures concerning the psychological assessment of candidates to the Catholic priesthood. Diocesan and religious vocation directors and seminary rectors identified 86 different mental health professionals they usually refer to for this type of psychological evaluation. This study used a qualitative methodology comprising focus group interviews and self-reported surveys, with open-ended questions. Questions elicited responses on psychological assessment practices of candidates to the Catholic priesthood. The results have implications for the screening of candidates to the priesthood. Ethical and multicultural considerations are discussed, and suggestions are offered for the improvement of policies and procedures, as well as for future research. The article was published in Professional Psychology: Research and Practice 41, no. 6 (2010): 526–532.
