목회자와 사모의 문화적 성향과 상담

Counseling and Collectivism in pastors and pastors wives

Culture is individualized in that it can describe individual differences in personal evaluation and behaviors. In particular, individualism and collectivism have been scrutinized carefully. In Korea the traditional collectivism is collapsed while individualism is not yet established. Because of this anomie, Koreans feel intense confusion and anxiety. Their confusion and anxiety can be relieved by counseling because it lets a counselee learn the individualistic culture. 36 graduate students, 19 male pastors and 17 pastor s wives, and 240 undergraduate students completed the revised Triandis s Questionnaire on Individualism/Collectivism. The data was analyzed with the t-test. Only male pastors have collectivism more than the pastor s wives and undergraduate students. Five tasks of pastors and their wives are listed. First, their cultural sensitivity is necessary to cultivate, specially in counseling with female or young members. Second, their cultural sensitivity is pursued in the process of counseling with them. Ultimately they cannot escape themselves from the cultural trend. Third, an effective couple therapy may be enforced in order to keep their marriage working. They are encouraged to learn and train some individualistic methods of communication together. Fourth, the pastor s wives learn how to deal with congregational pressure of collectivism which have been instigated by the old men in their congregations. Fifth, their goals include the individualism in counseling.