The study determined the ministry practices affecting the clergies feeling of burnout and their coping mechanisms among the clergies of Iglesia Filipina Independiente in the Diocese of Romblon and Mindoro specifically in areas of period in ministry, weekly hours in ministry, number of sermons delivered each week, number of Sunday attendance, and time with the family. It determined also the level of burnout felt in areas of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, personal accomplishment and involvement and coping mechanisms in areas of positive interpretation and growth, mental disengagement, focus and venting of emotions, use of instrumental social support, active coping, denial, religious coping, humour, behavioural disengagement, restraint, use of emotional social support, substance use and acceptance. Using the Descriptive-Correlational method of research, the study employed the Input, Process and Output research model to determine the ministry practices affecting the clergies feeling of burnout and their coping mechanisms used when they experienced burnout in the ministry. Using convenience sampling technique, a total of forty four (44) respondents composed of priests and deacons answered the adopted validated coded questionnaires on burnout, the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) developed by Christina Maslach and Susan Jackson , the validated coded questionnaires on coping mechanisms developed by Carver, C. S., Scheier, M. F., & Weintraub, J. K and validated questionnaires on ministry practices developed by Young (2009). Data gathered were treated with the use of descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage, weighted mean, Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficients and Regression Coefficients. Findings of this study revealed that the level of burnout felt by clergies of Iglesia Filipina Independiente in the Diocese of Romblon and Mindoro was generally LESS FELT. However, they experienced more burnout (FELT) in the aspect of involvement where they tried their best to involve in addressing members’ problems. As to the coping mechanisms clergies highly used religious coping, planning, positive interpretation and growth, acceptance and use of Instrumental social support while the least coping mechanisms that seldom they used to be substance use, behavioural disengagement, denial, focus and venting of emotions and mental disengagement. As to the relationship and effects of ministry practices to coping mechanisms, it has been deduced that the more they give time with their family, the more they use religious coping and substance and the more they spend more hours in their ministerial work in the parish/mission, the more they use restraint. Additionally, the number of worshippers during Sunday Holy Eucharist did not affect clergies time in planning and the number of hours spent by clergies in their ministerial work in the parish did not affect their decision in using any kind of substance. As to the relationship and effects of burnout to clergies coping mechanism, it has been construed that the more clergies feel burnout in area of emotional exhaustion, the more that they use mental disengagement, active coping and acceptance of the situation. However, increase of burnout in this area had no effect on their ability to plan in their ministerial work. Furthermore, the more the feeling of burnout increases in personal accomplishment, the lesser they use active coping and showed no influence over their desire to take substance. Furthermore, increase of burnout in this area has no effect on their decision to restrain or limit a particular action while the more the feeling of burnout of clergies increases in involvement, the higher they use humour as coping mechanism. Based on the findings of this study , the researcher recommended the following : Exploratory study on clergies experience high burnout in area of Involvement particularly for being uncomfortable about the way they have treated some church members, (2) an in-depth investigation on the factors that affect clergies desire to use substance with their family (3) an in-depth study on the reasons why clergies have not felt burnout in area of depersonalization (4), a correlational study on the relationship of clergies burnout to work satisfaction, (5), a correlational study on the relationship of clergies burnout and leadership styles in the parish/mission assignment (6), a correlational study of the burnout and coping mechanisms by age, educational attainment, gender , monthly income, ministry period and other important demographic and professional profile to analyse the burnout grade and the particular coping mechanisms that they are using and (7) replicate this study in other dioceses to validate its findings .
Keywords: Guidance and counselling, burnout, coping mechanisms, descriptive-correlational research, Romblon and Mindoro