Sources of Missionary Stress

The present investigation sought to determine some common sources of stress for missionaries working abroad. A 65-item rating scale was given to 547 missionaries on the field. The problem of confronting others when necessary and the difficulty of communication across language and cultural barriers caused considerable or greater stress for over half the population. Approximately half the population were stressed by the time and effort required to maintain relationships with donors, too much work, and decisions about work priorities.