International Journal of Cultic Studies ■ Vol. 8, 2017 39
compound, and 11 reported growing up in an
open community.
Procedure
Individuals who were interested in participating
completed a consent-to-participate form and a
screening questionnaire to determine their
viability for this study. The definition of cult in
the screening questionnaire was based on
Singer’s definition (Singer, 2003) and specified
a religious cult. To be classified as a cult, (a) the
organization must be life-encompassing (b)
there is a God-appointed leader the group
proclaims to have supernal powers (c) members
must devote time, energy, and devotion to their
leader and group (d) members are expected to
lose contact with or be separate from the outside
world (e) cult members are taught they are part
of a special or elite group (f) members
experience emotional, physical, or social harm
or a combination of these in the group and (g)
each member is expected to spend time daily
with other group members. The screening
questionnaire also included demographic data
such as age, gender, ethnicity, name of the
group, how long the members had been out, and
whether or not they made the decision to leave
themselves. Fifteen individuals met the criteria
and participated in the study.
Once they completed the screening
questionnaire, participants participated in 2-
hour interviews with me to address their
experiences of being in, leaving, and being
outside of their respective cults (See Appendix
for interview questions). I conducted follow-up
interviews with all participants, which lasted up
to 1 hour each. Once the first round of data
analysis was complete, I contacted and
interviewed all participants again regarding their
perceptions and reactions to emergent themes.
All participant interviews were tape recorded
and conducted either in person or via Internet
video depending on availability of the
participant. I also maintained field notes in a
journal, making note of any strong emotions or
reactions by either participants or myself
(Spradley, 1980).
Data Analysis
As noted, I utilized the grounded-theory concept
of constant comparative analysis in gathering,
evaluating, and analyzing data (Glaser &
Strauss, 1967). Charmaz (2003, 2008)
encouraged researchers participating in
constructivist grounded theory to evaluate the
data in terms of credibility, originality,
resonance, and usefulness. I addressed
credibility, or the ability to support claimed
findings (Mertens, 2010) through peer and
expert review, persistent and prolonged
engagement with the participants, member-
checking, triangulation of the data, integration of
discrepant or negative data, and an audit trail
(Charmaz, 2008 Guba &Lincoln, 1989). Peer
and expert reviewers, who were aware of my
positionality, were engaged in the process of
reviewing data, ensuring that actual meaning
instead of my meaning was incorporated
throughout. I used member-checking to confirm
the accuracy of the analysis (Mertens, 2005). I
solicited participant’s feedback regarding the
themes and theory, and then integrated the
feedback into the final presentation of data. I
incorporated triangulation, or comparison of
data with literature and expert opinion. I
recognized discrepant data throughout the
process, and an audit trail, including all
recordings, transcripts, and coded data, was
securely stored. I achieved originality in
grounded theory (Charmaz, 2008) by expanding
and deepening the theory about SGA cult
survivors. Initial contact, screening
questionnaires, initial interviews, follow-up
interviews, and member-checking achieved
prolonged engagement (Charmaz, 2008). The
study reflects usefulness (Charmaz, 2008) in
expanding the field of knowledge that
counselors can use in counseling with SGA cult
survivors.
Results and Discussion
The data analysis described above yielded 12
themes in all, with the first eight themes being
based on material the participants discussed, and
the final four being overarching themes that
were implicitly interwoven throughout
participants’ responses. I discuss each theme in
the following sections, including how the theme
compound, and 11 reported growing up in an
open community.
Procedure
Individuals who were interested in participating
completed a consent-to-participate form and a
screening questionnaire to determine their
viability for this study. The definition of cult in
the screening questionnaire was based on
Singer’s definition (Singer, 2003) and specified
a religious cult. To be classified as a cult, (a) the
organization must be life-encompassing (b)
there is a God-appointed leader the group
proclaims to have supernal powers (c) members
must devote time, energy, and devotion to their
leader and group (d) members are expected to
lose contact with or be separate from the outside
world (e) cult members are taught they are part
of a special or elite group (f) members
experience emotional, physical, or social harm
or a combination of these in the group and (g)
each member is expected to spend time daily
with other group members. The screening
questionnaire also included demographic data
such as age, gender, ethnicity, name of the
group, how long the members had been out, and
whether or not they made the decision to leave
themselves. Fifteen individuals met the criteria
and participated in the study.
Once they completed the screening
questionnaire, participants participated in 2-
hour interviews with me to address their
experiences of being in, leaving, and being
outside of their respective cults (See Appendix
for interview questions). I conducted follow-up
interviews with all participants, which lasted up
to 1 hour each. Once the first round of data
analysis was complete, I contacted and
interviewed all participants again regarding their
perceptions and reactions to emergent themes.
All participant interviews were tape recorded
and conducted either in person or via Internet
video depending on availability of the
participant. I also maintained field notes in a
journal, making note of any strong emotions or
reactions by either participants or myself
(Spradley, 1980).
Data Analysis
As noted, I utilized the grounded-theory concept
of constant comparative analysis in gathering,
evaluating, and analyzing data (Glaser &
Strauss, 1967). Charmaz (2003, 2008)
encouraged researchers participating in
constructivist grounded theory to evaluate the
data in terms of credibility, originality,
resonance, and usefulness. I addressed
credibility, or the ability to support claimed
findings (Mertens, 2010) through peer and
expert review, persistent and prolonged
engagement with the participants, member-
checking, triangulation of the data, integration of
discrepant or negative data, and an audit trail
(Charmaz, 2008 Guba &Lincoln, 1989). Peer
and expert reviewers, who were aware of my
positionality, were engaged in the process of
reviewing data, ensuring that actual meaning
instead of my meaning was incorporated
throughout. I used member-checking to confirm
the accuracy of the analysis (Mertens, 2005). I
solicited participant’s feedback regarding the
themes and theory, and then integrated the
feedback into the final presentation of data. I
incorporated triangulation, or comparison of
data with literature and expert opinion. I
recognized discrepant data throughout the
process, and an audit trail, including all
recordings, transcripts, and coded data, was
securely stored. I achieved originality in
grounded theory (Charmaz, 2008) by expanding
and deepening the theory about SGA cult
survivors. Initial contact, screening
questionnaires, initial interviews, follow-up
interviews, and member-checking achieved
prolonged engagement (Charmaz, 2008). The
study reflects usefulness (Charmaz, 2008) in
expanding the field of knowledge that
counselors can use in counseling with SGA cult
survivors.
Results and Discussion
The data analysis described above yielded 12
themes in all, with the first eight themes being
based on material the participants discussed, and
the final four being overarching themes that
were implicitly interwoven throughout
participants’ responses. I discuss each theme in
the following sections, including how the theme
