Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 4, No. 2, 2005, Page 30
associated with the cultic environment (c) a small but growing body of research indicates
that at least a substantial minority of former cult members experience significant
adjustment difficulties. There also are indications that these difficulties cannot be ascribed
to demand characteristics. (p. 91)
I was involved in one of the few studies that have been able to include comparison groups
(Langone, 1996 Malinowski, Langone, &Lynn, 1999). In this study I compared a
population of former members of the International Churches of Christ, former Catholics, and
graduates of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. One component of the study used the Group
Psychological Abuse Scale to compare these three groups‘ perceptions of their group
environments. I reasoned that if the negative reports of former cult members resulted
merely from their being ―disgruntled‖ and ―ex,‖ then former Catholics should rate the
Catholic Church as former ICC members rate their group. Although the ex-Catholics rated
their former church more negatively than IV graduates (who left the group because of
graduation, not because they were unhappy with it), their ratings were still well below the
abuse-nonabuse cutoff point and were several standard deviations below the ratings of ex-
ICC members. A recent as yet unpublished study in Mexico, using a Spanish version of the
GPA, obtained virtually identical ratings from former Mexican Catholics and ICC members.
Counseling: Who Needs It and What Do They Need?
The psychological research findings on pre-cult counseling indicate that a sizeable minority
of cult joiners sought help before their group experience, but it is far from certain that they
are much different on this dimension from the general population:
Post-cult distress may at least in part reflect pre-cult psychopathology. This
suggestion is bolstered by findings concerning the percentage of cultists
reporting pre-cult psychological counseling: 7% (Barker, 1984), 30% (Spero,
1982), 30% (Galanter, Rabkin, Rabkin, &Deutsch, 1979), 38% (Galanter &
Bucklery, 1978), 42% (Langone, unpublished.), 59% (Knight, 1986), and
62% (Sirkin &Grellong, 1988). Averaged out, these studies indicate that
approximately one-third of former cultists had had counseling before joining
the cult, a finding that is very similar to Sirkin &Grellong‘s (1988) non-cult
comparison group of Jewish youth, 33% of whom had had counseling. It is
certainly possible that cult joiners tend to be somewhat more troubled
psychologically than nonjoiners. However, since a comprehensive National
Institute of Mental Health epidemiological study found that approximately
20% of the general population suffer from at least one psychiatric disorder
(Freedman, 1986), the level of psychopathology in the cult joiner population
may not be much greater than that of the population as a whole. Cult joiners
may simply be more willing to seek help, which could possibly contribute to
their susceptibility to cultic recruitment. Moreover, even if on the whole
cultists are more disturbed psychologically, a majority appear to have been
within the normal range psychologically before they joined their group.
(Martin, Langone, Dole, &Wiltrout, 1992, p. 222)
Langone (1992) found that 70% of his 308 subjects sought counseling after leaving their
groups, while 42% had received counseling prior to joining. Thus, it seems likely that a
significant percentage of former group members seek professional help after their group
experience.
Even if my prevalence estimate of 85,000 people joining and leaving cultic groups is much
higher than the reality (Langone, no date), it is clear, given the small number of
professionals with a cult expertise, that the vast majority of former cultists in psychotherapy
obtain help from professionals with no particular expertise related to cults. Although all else
being equal, I believe it is preferable that a therapist treating a former group member be
associated with the cultic environment (c) a small but growing body of research indicates
that at least a substantial minority of former cult members experience significant
adjustment difficulties. There also are indications that these difficulties cannot be ascribed
to demand characteristics. (p. 91)
I was involved in one of the few studies that have been able to include comparison groups
(Langone, 1996 Malinowski, Langone, &Lynn, 1999). In this study I compared a
population of former members of the International Churches of Christ, former Catholics, and
graduates of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. One component of the study used the Group
Psychological Abuse Scale to compare these three groups‘ perceptions of their group
environments. I reasoned that if the negative reports of former cult members resulted
merely from their being ―disgruntled‖ and ―ex,‖ then former Catholics should rate the
Catholic Church as former ICC members rate their group. Although the ex-Catholics rated
their former church more negatively than IV graduates (who left the group because of
graduation, not because they were unhappy with it), their ratings were still well below the
abuse-nonabuse cutoff point and were several standard deviations below the ratings of ex-
ICC members. A recent as yet unpublished study in Mexico, using a Spanish version of the
GPA, obtained virtually identical ratings from former Mexican Catholics and ICC members.
Counseling: Who Needs It and What Do They Need?
The psychological research findings on pre-cult counseling indicate that a sizeable minority
of cult joiners sought help before their group experience, but it is far from certain that they
are much different on this dimension from the general population:
Post-cult distress may at least in part reflect pre-cult psychopathology. This
suggestion is bolstered by findings concerning the percentage of cultists
reporting pre-cult psychological counseling: 7% (Barker, 1984), 30% (Spero,
1982), 30% (Galanter, Rabkin, Rabkin, &Deutsch, 1979), 38% (Galanter &
Bucklery, 1978), 42% (Langone, unpublished.), 59% (Knight, 1986), and
62% (Sirkin &Grellong, 1988). Averaged out, these studies indicate that
approximately one-third of former cultists had had counseling before joining
the cult, a finding that is very similar to Sirkin &Grellong‘s (1988) non-cult
comparison group of Jewish youth, 33% of whom had had counseling. It is
certainly possible that cult joiners tend to be somewhat more troubled
psychologically than nonjoiners. However, since a comprehensive National
Institute of Mental Health epidemiological study found that approximately
20% of the general population suffer from at least one psychiatric disorder
(Freedman, 1986), the level of psychopathology in the cult joiner population
may not be much greater than that of the population as a whole. Cult joiners
may simply be more willing to seek help, which could possibly contribute to
their susceptibility to cultic recruitment. Moreover, even if on the whole
cultists are more disturbed psychologically, a majority appear to have been
within the normal range psychologically before they joined their group.
(Martin, Langone, Dole, &Wiltrout, 1992, p. 222)
Langone (1992) found that 70% of his 308 subjects sought counseling after leaving their
groups, while 42% had received counseling prior to joining. Thus, it seems likely that a
significant percentage of former group members seek professional help after their group
experience.
Even if my prevalence estimate of 85,000 people joining and leaving cultic groups is much
higher than the reality (Langone, no date), it is clear, given the small number of
professionals with a cult expertise, that the vast majority of former cultists in psychotherapy
obtain help from professionals with no particular expertise related to cults. Although all else
being equal, I believe it is preferable that a therapist treating a former group member be
