Inside the walls. A qualitativ study about coping with work related stress among prison chaplains

This study examines how prison chaplains from the Church of Sweden feel about their work environment and how they cope with work related stress. The aim of the study is to see if they use any religious coping strategies. To identify different strategies Pargament´s theory about religious coping has been used. Semi-structured interviews were done with four chaplains working at correctional facilities in the Gothenburg area. The results were analysed and based on Pargament´s theory. The findings of this study show that the main stressor for the chaplains was practical and logistical obstacles. Counselling created some stress but mostly it evoked feelings of anxiety and made the respondents question the matter of responsibility towards the client. The most frequently used coping strategies was prayer of collaborative character and getting counselling of their own, which was of great importance. Profane strategies dominated their free time but also religious strategies of preserving character such as attending church service. Most of the informants chose to detach themselves emotionally from thinking about clients or work related issues outside of the work place. Overall this study shows that both religious and profane strategies were used by the chaplains to cope with work related stress