Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 2 No. 1 1985, Page 39
of perceptual closure or abience in the Bender-Gestalt performance of most subjects‖ (p.
338). While several writers noted the flattened affect (Carr, 1981 Clark 1979b Conway &
Siegelman, 1978 Hopkins, 1978 Stoner &Parke, 1977 and West &Singer, 1980), three
studies suggested Spero‘s theory of a mixed affective picture.
In the only other study to use projective testing, Deutsch and Miller (1983) found the test
protocols of their four Unification Church subjects to show ―a fluid mixture of hysterical
(e.g., emotionally labile) and obsessional (e.g., overideational) features‖ (P. 769). Likewise,
AFF, who noted behavioral observations, found a generally flat affect in ex-cultists with ―a
sense of depletion and distance‖ (p. 20) which, nonetheless, would give way to ―volatility of
mood‘ depicting affective ambivalence (p. 21). The latter feature was reaffirmed in
Langone‘s (one of the AFF team) analysis of questionnaires from 94 parents of ex-cultists
(1984, p. 72).
In addition, AFF presented ex-cultists as suffering from depression, guilt, distrust, fear, and
outrage. Deleting distrust and adding shame the author suggests a revised list of affective
problems which most ex-cultists experience:
Depression. For AFF, this is a mildly chronic depression which does impair functioning,
though without much subjective distress (cf. Galanter, 1983a, p. 988 Langone, 1984, p.
72 Singer (1978, 1979). They considered depression a major ex-cultist problem and
stressed the reappearance of a sense of meaninglessness (cf. West &Singer, 1980 Spero,
1982) and the addition of new losses: lost years, lost career goals, lost innocence and lost
self-esteem. Schwartz and Kaslow (1979, 1981) observed a ―profound and prolonged
depression‖ in ex-cultists and related it to humiliation over being duped (cf. Etemad, 1978,
p. 223 and Shapiro, 1977, p. 82) and over lost time in pursuit of career or other life goals.
The Goldbergs saw depression as a stage one hallmark, particularly as a ―grief reaction
following the loss of a way of life and of a leader who promised total fulfillment ...of a
perfect world‖ (P. 166) cf. Spero‘s (1982) object loss following deidealization of the cult
leader. AFF, Burtner (1980), Levine (1979), and Singer (1978, 1979) all reported a sense of
loss regarding friends still in the cult. The Goldbergs, however, saw adjustment and the
anger regarding lost friends (AFF, p. 70) and the missing years as more of a stage two
concern.
Guilt. AFF referred to guilt ―both for what they Tex--cultists) have done and what they
have failed to do‖ (p. 20 cf. Langone, 1984, p. 72). For Singer (1978, 1979), guilt is a
problem as ex-cultists ―take up their personal consciences again‖ and have to face Pttle
deception and dishonesty they participated in as part of the common cult activities (1979, p.
80). Others, however, have stressed these guilt feelings as coming from the indoctrination
received in the cult, i.e., guilt for leaving the group and/or considering forbidden activities
(Blackwell, 1980 Burtner, 1980 Levine, 1980 Levine 1979 Maleson, 1981). Goldberg and
Goldberg saw this form of guilt playing ―a major role in the initial reentry stage‖ (p. 168),
guilt for having participated in deceptive cult practices, yet guilt feelings for going against
the cult‘s values and doctrines. Clearly this affective problem Is ―many sided‖ (AFF, p. 21)
and ―highly complex and dichotomous‖ (Levine, 1979, p. 599).
Shame. In contrast to the mere contemplation of cult-forbidden acts In the first stage, the
second stage of cult recovery sees ex-cultists behaviorally trying out previously forbidden
pleasures. This, the Goldbergs have suggested, leads to the emergence of feelings of
shame, particularly regarding sexuality. The cults often attract recruits through their
effective suppression of sexual feelings. When the cultic taboos go, the previous desires for,
and conflicts about, sexuality return (cf. Singer, 1979, p. 76).
On the other hand, shame also is multifaceted for the ex-cultists. The AFF guilt for ―what
they have failed to do‖--for having ―shunned ordinary life in the first place in favor of bizarre

Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 2 No. 1 1985, Page 40
cult activities‖ (p. 20), would more properly be termed shame (Note 7). It is most likely a
reversal of the ―logical dishonoring of self‖ which Lifton (1961) saw in the conversion
process, and will, therefore, usually manifest in the ―lost years‖ aspect of the ex-cultist
depression, as well as in the sense of humiliation for having been duped (cf. Appel, 1983
Etemad, 1978 Schwartz &Kaslow, 1979, 1981 Shapiro, 1977). Singer (1979) identified
this problem as ―the agonies of explaining‖ (p. 80).
Fear. AFF saw three fears: fear of retribution from the cult for leaving, of having to explain
their joining, and of becoming (or that they already are) psychotic, i.e., ―crazy.‖ AFF also
placed Singer‘s fishbowl effect here--the sense of being continually watched.
Goldberg and Goldberg saw the fear of punishment by the cult for leaving as a first-stage
affective problem. They associated it with the frequent occurrence of nightmares, a
phenomenon also reported by Clark (1979b, p-4), Heller (1972, p. 133), and Stoner &
Parke (1977, pp. 416-417).
Singer (1979) reported, ―when members do leave, efforts to get them back reportedly
range from moderate harassment to incidents involving the use of force‖ (p. 79). ―At the
root of ex-members‘ fear is often the memory of old humiliations for stepping out of line‖
(p. 79). Furthermore, ―fear may be most acute for former members who have left a spouse
or children behind in the cults that recruited couples or families‖ (p. 80). Thus, while
paranoid tendencies might be revealed in psychological testing (Spero, 1982 Ungerleider
&Wellisch, 1979b), and while ex-cultists may even demonstrate transient ideas of reference
or influence (AFF, p. 22 Galanter, 1983a, p. 988), they still have legitimate reasons for
their fears.
Levine (1979) has confirmed that this is a real fear, that it takes one of two forms:
either it is impersonal (spiritual or religious) in nature, or personal .(and
physical). The former has to do with breaking the precepts of the religion, or
sinning it implies vague but powerful punishment from the deity or his
incarnation on earth. The latter represents fear of retribution at the hands of
cultists who have been betrayed. This fear occasionally prevents ex-members
from sharing any information about their former religious group. It is usually
irrationally based, but certainly has validity in some situations ...(P. 599).
Schwartz and Kaslow (1979) have simultaneously, though not as directly, differentiated
between supernatural horrors to come, e.g., ―doomed to be invaded by Satan,‖ and more
personal and physical punishment by the cult itself for any defection (p. 23).
Finally, in addition to fears of supernatural and physical retribution (with or without
accompanying nightmares), fears of going psychotic (cf. Spero‘s ―fear of being
overwhelmed‖, 1982, p. 341--which in some cases should be a legitimate concern for the
therapist Kirsch &Glass, 1977, p. 1257) and fears of being asked to explain. Spero (1977)
suggests that ―if there were fears and ambivalences and tendencies toward regression prior
to an adolescent‘s cult involvement, the deprogrammed youth experiences these ten-fold‖
(p. 338). With the reemergence of the old personality (stage two) will undoubtedly come all
the fears and conflicts which the regressive conversion had previously helped to repress.
Anger. The reacquisition of self-confidence which accompanies the reemergence of the
pre-cult personality (Goldbergs‘ stage two) almost always involves ―a sense of outrage,
indignation, and anger toward the cult‖ (AFF, P. 20) for having been duped, cheated, and
used. The Goldbergs said this often takes on the form of a crusade against the cult(s) (cf.
Langone, 1984, p. 72 Stoner &Parke, 1977, p. 425 and footnote 6 again), which Galanter
(1983a) believes sometimes develops into a genuine ―paranoid attitude toward the sect,
even to the point of compromised reality testing‖ (p. 988). It might also spark attempts to
rescue friends and family members still in the group (AFF, p. 70).