Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 5, No. 6, 2006, Page 35
development of dependency comes from the family environment, other environmental
influences (such as the social influence of the cult itself), or both.
At this point, an important question should be considered: Do persons enter a cult with a
pre-existing dependent-personality organization? In a community sample of individuals
(Gunderson &Philipps, 1995, p.1450), 15% were found to have a dependent personality,
with an estimated ratio of three females to one male. So it is statistically possible that some
of the entering novice cult members might have a pre-existing dependent-personality
organization or susceptibility to emergence of a dependent personality. However, this
finding does not explain the existence of the triad of dependency, anxiety, and
depressiveness clinically observed in ex-cult members.
An additional question is this: What effect might existing dependency needs have on the
subsequent acquisition of DPD by cult members? A possible answer requires an
understanding of the dependency needs of entering cult members. Hypothetically, persons
who are psychologically vulnerable and have fluctuating moods, according to Dolan-Sewell,
Krueger, and Shea (2001, p. 88), and who also experience fluctuating moods,
[may have] ...a heightened sensitivity to environmental events (e.g.
separation and disappointment)... Individuals with pathological levels of
anxiety/inhibition are quick to interpret environmental events, as well as
their own behaviors and thoughts, as potentially harmful to themselves or
someone else.
Apparently, some individuals might be easily influenced by exposure to the manipulative
social environment of a cult and therefore may lose some of their ability to make
independent decisions. They may become overly anxious and dependent, which may, by a
group social-influence effect, lead them to adopt a survival personality style that keeps
them from exiting an abusive cult environment or resisting wrongful acts while they are
inside a cult.
In partial explanation of why some ex-cult members were found to develop a cluster of
DPD, anxiety, and depression, it has been found that anxious and fearful personality-
disorder patients (cluster C patients), which include the DPD patients, might also have co-
occurring depression and anxiety on a much more frequent basis than cluster A or cluster B
personality-disorder patients (Dolan-Sewell, Krueger, and Shea, p. 97, 2001). These
authors imply that when DPD develops, anxiety and depression often are comorbid.
Interestingly, the previously cited Martin et al. study reported that "...a majority [of ex-
cultists] appear to have been within a psychologically normal range before they joined the
group‖ (1992, p. 3). If this is true, why would many ex-cult members exhibit the triad of
dependency, anxiety, and depressiveness? Perhaps the traumatic stress experienced within
a cult contributes to the emergence of dependency, anxiety, and depressiveness.
According to Dolan-Sewell et al., (2001 as cited by Millon and Davis, 1996 and Gunderson
&Philipps, 1995), anxiety and dysthymia are oftentimes comorbid with DPD. Donald-Sewell
et al. explain that this comorbidity is because all three conditions are related to affective
dysregulation. However, if psychological treatment given after members exit a cult
experience can quickly ameliorate the anxiety and dysthymia exhibited by these exiting cult
members, this result is possible evidence in favor of the position that environmental factors
are important influences in the development of these psychological conditions. Therefore,
Martin, Langone, Dole and Wiltrout‘s (1992) report of the rapid and simultaneous decline of
MCMI-I base rate scores for DPD, Anxiety, and Dysthymia in ex-cult members following
relatively brief psychotherapeutic treatment represents a significant finding.
This finding about decline in MCMI-I base rate scores of DPD after brief treatment (two
weeks or less) provides a basis for posing a question about the possibility of a behaviorally
development of dependency comes from the family environment, other environmental
influences (such as the social influence of the cult itself), or both.
At this point, an important question should be considered: Do persons enter a cult with a
pre-existing dependent-personality organization? In a community sample of individuals
(Gunderson &Philipps, 1995, p.1450), 15% were found to have a dependent personality,
with an estimated ratio of three females to one male. So it is statistically possible that some
of the entering novice cult members might have a pre-existing dependent-personality
organization or susceptibility to emergence of a dependent personality. However, this
finding does not explain the existence of the triad of dependency, anxiety, and
depressiveness clinically observed in ex-cult members.
An additional question is this: What effect might existing dependency needs have on the
subsequent acquisition of DPD by cult members? A possible answer requires an
understanding of the dependency needs of entering cult members. Hypothetically, persons
who are psychologically vulnerable and have fluctuating moods, according to Dolan-Sewell,
Krueger, and Shea (2001, p. 88), and who also experience fluctuating moods,
[may have] ...a heightened sensitivity to environmental events (e.g.
separation and disappointment)... Individuals with pathological levels of
anxiety/inhibition are quick to interpret environmental events, as well as
their own behaviors and thoughts, as potentially harmful to themselves or
someone else.
Apparently, some individuals might be easily influenced by exposure to the manipulative
social environment of a cult and therefore may lose some of their ability to make
independent decisions. They may become overly anxious and dependent, which may, by a
group social-influence effect, lead them to adopt a survival personality style that keeps
them from exiting an abusive cult environment or resisting wrongful acts while they are
inside a cult.
In partial explanation of why some ex-cult members were found to develop a cluster of
DPD, anxiety, and depression, it has been found that anxious and fearful personality-
disorder patients (cluster C patients), which include the DPD patients, might also have co-
occurring depression and anxiety on a much more frequent basis than cluster A or cluster B
personality-disorder patients (Dolan-Sewell, Krueger, and Shea, p. 97, 2001). These
authors imply that when DPD develops, anxiety and depression often are comorbid.
Interestingly, the previously cited Martin et al. study reported that "...a majority [of ex-
cultists] appear to have been within a psychologically normal range before they joined the
group‖ (1992, p. 3). If this is true, why would many ex-cult members exhibit the triad of
dependency, anxiety, and depressiveness? Perhaps the traumatic stress experienced within
a cult contributes to the emergence of dependency, anxiety, and depressiveness.
According to Dolan-Sewell et al., (2001 as cited by Millon and Davis, 1996 and Gunderson
&Philipps, 1995), anxiety and dysthymia are oftentimes comorbid with DPD. Donald-Sewell
et al. explain that this comorbidity is because all three conditions are related to affective
dysregulation. However, if psychological treatment given after members exit a cult
experience can quickly ameliorate the anxiety and dysthymia exhibited by these exiting cult
members, this result is possible evidence in favor of the position that environmental factors
are important influences in the development of these psychological conditions. Therefore,
Martin, Langone, Dole and Wiltrout‘s (1992) report of the rapid and simultaneous decline of
MCMI-I base rate scores for DPD, Anxiety, and Dysthymia in ex-cult members following
relatively brief psychotherapeutic treatment represents a significant finding.
This finding about decline in MCMI-I base rate scores of DPD after brief treatment (two
weeks or less) provides a basis for posing a question about the possibility of a behaviorally
