Ebook: Psychological Assessment of Candidates for a Religious Order

The use of psychological tests and methods in screening applicants to Catholic religious orders and diocesan seminaries has been going on for many years. Generally, it has been received with a certain amount of enthusiasm by the religious superiors, seminary rectors, and others who bear the responsibility of selection and training. Several meetings in recent years have demonstrated that a rather large number of psychologists are committed in some way to this work, all with basic faith in the value of what they are doing. Many are amassing an impressive amount of data and have plans ultimately to communicate their findings. A few have published a portion of their results. Some of the publications have provided evidence of modest success in the screening effort; some have given reasons for doubt. Very little is sufficiently detailed to aid others in developing their skills. Meanwhile, there have been superiors and vocation directors who have asked for proof that the selection of candidates is any better with the aid of psychological examination than without it.

Clearly, definitive answers are desired. This book does not pretend to give such answers, but it will help thereto. It presents the results with one segment of a religious order of men. The findings can be accepted with varying degrees of confidence. Generalizations have to be made with caution. However, the program herein described and evaluated has been in operation for some eighteen years; its study will be of help to others, even if it will do no more than provide them with hypotheses to check on their own data. And it is hoped that other psychologists will come forth with similar analyses, so that eventually we shall have a sufficient body of evidence on which to base definitive conclusions regarding the general effectiveness of the work and the choice and use of methods of assessment.

In embarking on the research, the author's first purpose was to prove to himself whether he was or was not doing an effective job. In publishing the results, he had in mind to sound a warning against the assumption--too readily made-that psychological techniques can be expected to solve all the problems of weeding out unfit candidates for the priesthood or the religious life. Meanwhile the program was continuing, and there was also an urgent need to determine the validity, for this specific purpose, of the tests and other instruments and to discover what scores, background factors, and the like might serve as diagnostic or predictive indicators. It had taken some ten years, and probably more mistakes than one would realize, to accumulate a modicum of such information. The account of these efforts is submitted in the hope that it will save the reader a considerable amount of time and make it possible for him to start his work at a higher level of skill or improve it faster. It will be up to his critical judgment and professional competence to decide which of the results are sufficiently well founded and can be applied to his own work.

From what has been said, it is obvious that this book is intended primarily for psychologists and others trained in personnel, clinical, or counseling work. Hence, the terminology is often quite technical. Nevertheless, it is hoped that many other people engaged in vocational work will also be able to see light through the fog and at least thread their way through Chapters l, 2, and ll.

The very limited reference to the psychological literature does not imply lack of appreciation of what others have done; it was the result of a decision to concentrate on the information that could be gleaned from this one program and to make it available. The reader who is interested in acquainting himself with the published material on screening of religious personnel and allied topics will do well to consult: Robert J. Menges and James E. Dittes, Psychological Stud 2s of Clergymen (New York: Thomas Nelson and Sons, 1965) and to look for periodic supplements in Mintstry Studies, published by the Ministry Studies Board, 1717 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036.