46 International Journal of Cultic Studies ■ Vol. 9, 2018
members, particularly with regard to factors that
may have caused the psychological distress.
Accurate diagnoses of former cult members
might be facilitated if one has knowledge about
associations between psychological distress and
experiences from the time former members
spent in the group and deeper knowledge about
the characteristics of the psychological problems
among former cult members. Associations
between psychological distress among former
cult members and the conditions in their
respective groups have not been sufficiently
studied previously. Consequently, the purpose of
this study was to investigate the psychological
well-being among former cult members and to
assess whether there were any associations
between psychological distress and experiences
from the time in the group.
Hypotheses
We based this study on four underlying
hypotheses:
1. The first hypothesis of the study was that
former cult members have more
psychological problems than the normal
population (e.g., Aronoff et al., 2000 Gasde
&Block, 1998 Walsh et al., 1995), but
fewer such problems than a clinical group.
2. The second hypothesis was that, the more
psychological abuse former cult members
have experienced in the group, the more
psychological problems they have, which is
in line with the results of Winocur-Craig's
(1995) study.
3. A third hypothesis was that former cult
members would have more psychological
problems the longer they had been active in
the group (Gasde &Block, 1998).
4. The fourth hypothesis was that
psychological well-being was expected to be
better the more time that had passed since
the defection (Gasde &Block, 1998 Walsh
et al., 1995).
No difference in psychological well-being was
expected between those who had been born into
the group and those who had joined as adults
(Buxant &Saroglou, 2008).
Method
Participants
We located study participants mainly through
two Swedish support organizations for former
cult members, Hjälpkällan (The Help Spring)
and Föreningen Rädda Individen (FRI The
Organization for Saving the Individual).
Hjälpkällan initially was formed to help former
members of the Jehovah's Witnesses, but now
former members from other organizations also
turn to this support organization.
Sixty-seven people completed the questionnaire.
One of them did not answer any of the questions
about psychological well-being and was
therefore excluded. Of the 66 remaining
participants, 34 identified themselves as women
and 31 as men. One participant did not answer
the question about gender. The mean age of the
participants was 41.2 years (median, 40.5 SD =
12.4 range, 17–69).
The participants were asked to choose what to
call the group they had been members of. They
reported that they had been members of The
Jehovah's Witnesses (41) The Pentecostal
Church (8) Word of Life (5) Arken/Faith
Movement (1) The Faith Movement (2)
Balanced View (1) The Family/Children of God
(1) Life Center 2 (1) The Mormons (1) Sahaja
Yoga (1) Folkkyrkan (1) “Unnamed” (1) and
Osho/Baghwan Shree Rajneesh (1). Word of
Life and Arken are both parts of the Swedish
Faith Movement and therefore eight participants
can be considered as representing the Faith
Movement. Folkkyrkan and Life Center 2 are
both parts of the Pentecostal Church, which
gives a total of 10 participants from this
organization.
Procedure and Informed Consent
A questionnaire was distributed through the
Internet sites of the two Swedish support
organizations. Participants completed and
submitted the questionnaires using these
websites. Some participants were identified by
personal contact. The participants were informed
that their participation was voluntary, that it
would take about 10 minutes to answer the
questions, and that the participants would be
anonymous. They were also offered a copy of
members, particularly with regard to factors that
may have caused the psychological distress.
Accurate diagnoses of former cult members
might be facilitated if one has knowledge about
associations between psychological distress and
experiences from the time former members
spent in the group and deeper knowledge about
the characteristics of the psychological problems
among former cult members. Associations
between psychological distress among former
cult members and the conditions in their
respective groups have not been sufficiently
studied previously. Consequently, the purpose of
this study was to investigate the psychological
well-being among former cult members and to
assess whether there were any associations
between psychological distress and experiences
from the time in the group.
Hypotheses
We based this study on four underlying
hypotheses:
1. The first hypothesis of the study was that
former cult members have more
psychological problems than the normal
population (e.g., Aronoff et al., 2000 Gasde
&Block, 1998 Walsh et al., 1995), but
fewer such problems than a clinical group.
2. The second hypothesis was that, the more
psychological abuse former cult members
have experienced in the group, the more
psychological problems they have, which is
in line with the results of Winocur-Craig's
(1995) study.
3. A third hypothesis was that former cult
members would have more psychological
problems the longer they had been active in
the group (Gasde &Block, 1998).
4. The fourth hypothesis was that
psychological well-being was expected to be
better the more time that had passed since
the defection (Gasde &Block, 1998 Walsh
et al., 1995).
No difference in psychological well-being was
expected between those who had been born into
the group and those who had joined as adults
(Buxant &Saroglou, 2008).
Method
Participants
We located study participants mainly through
two Swedish support organizations for former
cult members, Hjälpkällan (The Help Spring)
and Föreningen Rädda Individen (FRI The
Organization for Saving the Individual).
Hjälpkällan initially was formed to help former
members of the Jehovah's Witnesses, but now
former members from other organizations also
turn to this support organization.
Sixty-seven people completed the questionnaire.
One of them did not answer any of the questions
about psychological well-being and was
therefore excluded. Of the 66 remaining
participants, 34 identified themselves as women
and 31 as men. One participant did not answer
the question about gender. The mean age of the
participants was 41.2 years (median, 40.5 SD =
12.4 range, 17–69).
The participants were asked to choose what to
call the group they had been members of. They
reported that they had been members of The
Jehovah's Witnesses (41) The Pentecostal
Church (8) Word of Life (5) Arken/Faith
Movement (1) The Faith Movement (2)
Balanced View (1) The Family/Children of God
(1) Life Center 2 (1) The Mormons (1) Sahaja
Yoga (1) Folkkyrkan (1) “Unnamed” (1) and
Osho/Baghwan Shree Rajneesh (1). Word of
Life and Arken are both parts of the Swedish
Faith Movement and therefore eight participants
can be considered as representing the Faith
Movement. Folkkyrkan and Life Center 2 are
both parts of the Pentecostal Church, which
gives a total of 10 participants from this
organization.
Procedure and Informed Consent
A questionnaire was distributed through the
Internet sites of the two Swedish support
organizations. Participants completed and
submitted the questionnaires using these
websites. Some participants were identified by
personal contact. The participants were informed
that their participation was voluntary, that it
would take about 10 minutes to answer the
questions, and that the participants would be
anonymous. They were also offered a copy of
