Cult Affiliation and Disaffiliation: Implications for Counseling

Abstract

Between 2 and 5 million young adults are involved in cult groups in the United States. Psychohistorical influences, family dynamics, and religious values affect an individual's susceptibility to joining a cult. Cult affiliation affects the cult member and his or her family members. Although cults have high conversion rates, they also have high rates of disaffiliation. Counselors working with those who join and leave cults need to develop an awareness of clinical symptoms associated with doing so and use appropriate interventions.

Exploring the Spiritual Needs of Adolescent Girls

“…The strength of the parent-child relationship seems to be critical in its effects on the vulnerability of youth to cult affiliation (Schwartz, 2001). Studies also indicate that families of cult members tend to have a rigid, enmeshed structure (Robinson & Frye, 1997). On the other hand, youths having a secure parental attachment, especially to the father, do not typically affiliate with a cult; a clash of values between parents and child often underlies cult affiliation (Sirkin, 1990)..…”

Adaptation to Transition: Implications for Working With Cult Members

“…In a recent writing, Robinson et al (1997) used Sirkin's (1990 five-stage model to characterize the gradual process of cult membership. The five stages are hooking, joining, intensification, social disengagement, and realignment.…”

An Object Relations Approach to Cult Membership

“…Concerning the second point: no legitimate religion, political movement-or any group for that matter-has a 100% retention rate, much less a 100% success rate in whatever areas of personal or social functioning that they purport to improve. However, with cults, the member is, more often than not, left in a much worse position than in which he started, whether it t be financially, psychologically, relationally, or some combination of these and other factors (Langone, 1996;Morse & Morse, 1987;Robinson, Frye, & Bradley, 1997).…”

“…The acknowledgement that cult members are not qualitatively different from the general population in any specific area of adjustment or psychological functioning is an essential component of the current authors' proposed theory. It is worth mentioning, however, that several authors have found that there are some developmental and relational factors that may make some individuals more susceptible to cult recruitment (Buxtant, Saroglou, Casalfiore, & Christians, 2007;Buxtant & Saroglou, 2008;Robinson, Frye, & Bradley, 1997).…”

“…The authors propose that many of the experiences of the cult member serve to weaken normal ego functioning through methods which induce dissociation (Ash, 1985;Goldberg, 1997;Morse & Morse, 1987), compromise critical thinking and volition (Goldberg, 1997;Morse & Morse, 1987;Robinson et al, 1997;Young & Griffith, 1992;Zimbardo, 1997), and impose tremendous social pressure to conform and comply (Hassan, 1988;Langone, 1996;Zimbardo, 1997). These experiences lead to the activation of a primitive level of object relationships and defensive operations that Otto Kernberg linked specifically to the borderline level of personality organization (Kernberg, 1976;Kernberg, 1984).…”