Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 5, No. 2, 2006, Page 23
Exhibit A
Group Psychological Abuse Scale
Groups Rated by Dole: Iraqi Rulers Iraqi Insurgents Afghan Al
Qaeda Heavens Gate
Directions:
This rating scale is designed to evaluate certain aspects of religious,
psychotherapeutic, political, commercial, and other groups. Please
rate, as best you can, the degree to which the following statements
characterize the group under consideration. Rate each group
according to your knowledge (reading, television, radio, experience,
and observation) of how the group functions. Write in the number
of the best answer, using the following ratings:
1 =not at all characteristic
2 =not characteristic
3 =can't say/not sure
4 =characteristic
5 =very characteristic
Sub Scales with Examples:
COMPLIANCE. Example: Members are expected to serve the
groups leaders.
EXPLOITATION. Example: The group approves of violence against
outsiders.
(e.g., "satanic communists," etc.)
MIND CONTROL. Example: Mind control is used without conscious
consent of members.
ANXIOUS DEPENDENCY. Example: The group believes or implies
its leader is divine.
Scores
The score for each sub scale represents the mean of the seven item
means assigned to a factor (range per item 1.0-5.0). The Total
represents the mean of all 28 ratings. See Chambers et al. (1994)
for a description of this measure of the varieties of cultic abuse by a
particular group..
For this paper, as shown in Exhibit A, I selected two terrorist groups—the secularist Iraqi
Rulers (Baath party) before the Gulf War, the current Iraqi Insurgents—and two cultic
groups—the Afghanistan based Al Qaeda (Wahabbi Muslims) and the American Heaven‘s
Gate. I chose each group primarily on the basis of my familiarity with them through
reading, television, and /or radio. Although the GPA provided me with a common framework
with which to view the groups, I make no claim to the scientific rigor and objectivity of my
findings. Comparing case studies (Isaac &Michael, 2004) is a valuable exploratory method,
although differences cannot be tested for statistical significance, and my selection of the
four groups for convenience, rather than randomly, limits generalization.
To each of the four groups I applied the Directions for the Group Psychological Abuse Scale,
modified to stress my knowledge of the group. (The original scale asked former group

Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 5, No. 2, 2006, Page 24
members to "Rate each item according to your experience and observations (in retrospect)
of how the group actually functioned.")
I used the rating scale (from 1 =not at all characteristic to 5= very characteristic of
psychological abuse) for each of the 28 items.
The GPA yields four Sub Scale scores and a Total score. According to Chambers et al
(1994), the mean of the seven items representing Compliance measures the extent to
which members sacrifice their own goals, serve leaders who make decisions, and comply
with group norms.
Exploitation implies the group seeks power unethically. A cult manipulates, abuses, and
uses people.
Mind Control measures the extent to which members are deceived, leaders use personal
dominance, and the group uses coercive persuasion.
Anxious Dependency reflects a cult situation in which dependency can be absolute and
fear tends to color all experiences. A word of caution here: When Almendros, Carrobles,
Rodriguez-Carballeira, and Jansa (2003) analyzed the Spanish version of GPA for 61
members of 21 groups, they found the scale to be reliable and valid but they did not
confirm the Anxious Dependency factor.
Total GPA: Assuming that my total mean of means fits Chambers‘ (1994, p. 105) empirical
definition of a cult, then this score may represent the extent to which in my estimate the
group: "exploits members psychologically and/or financially, typically by making members
comply with leadership's demands through certain types of psychological manipulation,
popularly called mind control, and through the inculcation of deep-seated anxious
dependency on the group and its leaders."
In the following I will summarize my impressions of each group followed by my GPA ratings
of it on Exhibits B1-5. Note that in applied psychology standardized rating scales, as I have
tried to adapt the GPA, are commonly used in studies of single individuals (e.g., teacher
rates a pupil, employer rates an employee, psychologist rates a patient, etc.) or
organizations (e.g., student rates her dormitory, employee rates his corporation).
Iraqi Rulers
Before the Gulf wars twenty five years ago Iraq was a despotism ruled by the dictator
Saddam Hussein. After World War I the British had cobbled together an artificial monarchy,
divided by religion, ethnic origin, tribal loyalties, and rural-urban conflict. Unlike most of its
neighbors, the monarchy was overthrown by the Baathists and Iraq became a secular and
socialist state. Its citizens had considerable personal freedom and economic security so long
as they did not offend the controlling oligarchy. It terrorized internal enemies such as the
Shiite Muslims and the Kurds and warred against neighboring states.
Saddam Hussein (Bowden, 2002) emerged from a society in which family and tribe were
primary and survival depended upon violence and corruption. A clever tyrant, a canny
pragmatist, he depended more on fear and manipulation than religious dogma and charisma
to acquire power. Ruthlessly he held Iraq together and amassed influence and wealth.
GPA of Iraqi Rulers
For the GPA of the Iraqi Rulers look at Exhibit B1. Compliance =3.3 Exploitation =4.1
Mind Control =4.3 Dependency =2.9 Total GPA =3.6 on Exhibit C (Cannot say items =
25%).