The measurable differences between experienced, vocationally satisfied Disciples of Christ pastoral ministers and experienced, vocationally dissatisfied Disciples of Christ pastoral ministers

The purpose of this study was to determine the measurable differences between experienced, vocationally 'satisfied' and experienced, vocationally 'dissatisfied' Disciples of Christ pastoral ministers. Forty-six Disciple pastors in Texas were divided into two groups: thirty-one were placed in a 'satisfied' group and fifteen in a 'dissatisfied' group on the basis of their responses on an interview form which utilized, primarily, the technique of ranking the various functional ministries with respect to the degree of satisfaction that might be derived from them. All of these men had been in the pastoral ministry a minimum of five years. These men were given the California Short-Form Test of Mental Maturity—1963 S-Form/Level 5, the Strong Vocational Interest Blank-- For Men, Study of Values, Guilford-Zimmerman Temperament Survey and the Theological School Inventory. The significance of the difference between the sample means obtained on each scale of all the tests was calculated, using a 't' test for small, uncorrelated samples. Standard deviations were computed, and profiles of obtained means and publishers' norms were made. Of the one hundred measures provided by these five instruments, eight yielded significant differences between the means of the two sample groups. These were: 1. Study of Values, Theoretical Scale: 'dissatisfied sample higher than the 'satisfied' sample, at the .02 level of confidence. 2. Strong Vocational Interest Blank--For Men, Group I, the biological sciences, Group II, the engineering and physical sciences, and the masculinity scale: 'dissatisfied' sample higher than the 'satisfied' sample, at the .05 level of confidence. 3. Theological School Inventory, Intellectual Concern: 'dissatisfied' group higher, at the .01 level of confidence; Definiteness of Commitment: 'satisfied' group higher than the 'dissatisfied' group, at the .02 level of confidence; Special Leading and Natural Leading: 'satisfied' sample higher than the 'dissatisfied' sample, at the .05 level of confidence. The 'satisfied' mean was significantly higher than the general male mean on these Guilford-Zimmerman Temperament Survey scales: Restraint, Ascendancy, Sociability, Emotional Stability, Friendliness, Thoughtfulness, and Personal Relations. The 'satisfied' mean was significantly lower than the general male mean on the Masculinity scale. The 'dissatisfied' mean was significantly higher than the general male mean on Restraint, Friendliness, Thoughtfulness, and Personal Relations.