Introducing the Francis Owl-Lark Indices (FOLI): assessing the implications of diurnal activity patterns for clergy work-related psychological health.

SCOTLAND; UNITED Kingdom; WALES

Drawing on three sets of data provided by 338 Anglican clergy serving in the Church in Wales, 484 Presbyterian clergy serving in the Church of Scotland, and 422 Salvation Army Officers serving in the UK, this study reports the development of a 10-item instrument designed to provide independent measures of preference for morning activity (the Lark preference) and preference for evening activity (the Owl preference) appropriate for use among clergy. The thesis is then tested that these preferences predict individual differences in clergy work-related psychological health, as assessed by the Francis Burnout Inventory, after taking into account the effects of personal factors (sex and age) and personality factors (extraversion and neuroticism). The data demonstrated that clergy who displayed the Lark preference were less likely to suffer from emotional exhaustion, suggesting a clear and consistent linkage between preferences for mornings and lower vulnerability to burnout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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