Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 6, No. 2, 1989, Page 25
Conway and Siegelman found the vast majority of their sample had been celibate, and that
sexual exploitation by leaders was minimal. Physical punishment (e.g., beatings, bondage,
food deprivation, cold showers) was reported by about 20% of the respondents. This sample
reported spending three to seven hours each day practicing some form of autohypnotic
ritual. An additional 20 to 30 hours per week were reportedly spent in other cult- related
rituals and/or lectures thus, a total of 40 to 70 hours per week (55 hours was the mean)
were spent in some form of devotional activity that could be labeled “thought stopping.” In
addition, 52% of Conway and Siegehnan's sample reported post-cult symptoms of “floating”
(spontaneous trance-like states), 40% reported recurring nightmares about their groups,
35% reported “being unable to break [cultic mental rhythms of chanting, meditation or
speaking in tongues” (Conway &Siegelman, 1982, p. 90), and 21% experienced some
memory loss. Conway and Siegelman found a direct correlation between the amount of time
spent per week in cult ritual and indoctrination and the number of long-term adverse
effects:
Our findings appear to confirm that the psychological trauma cults inflict upon
their members is directly related to the amount of time spent in indoctrination
and mind control rituals. Perhaps most startling of all was a second finding ...
[that] most of the damage appears to be done in the first few months [of cult
membership]. (Conway &Siegelman, 1982, p. 90)
In my experience as therapist for former cultists, I have seen a distinct difference between
my deprogrammed and nondeprogrammed clients. Although both demonstrated
ambivalence toward their cult experiences, the nondeprogrammed clients seemed more
confused about their ambivalence, and were generally in much greater internal conflict.
They generally had greater difficulty resolving family conflicts. As opposed to their
deprogrammed counterparts, they generally demonstrated greater vulnerability to other
forms of unethical social influence: they tended to be more easily attracted to other
manipulative groups, became more readily involved in physically and/or psychologically
abusive romantic relationships, and were more likely to lm vulnerable to sales and
marketing frauds. They also reported more “floating- like” symptoms than did
deprogrammed clients, but had more difficult) recognizing and labeling these states. In the
Conway and Siegelman study, deprogrammed former cultists also appeared to make a more
rapid transition to improved psychological functioning than did their nondeprogrammed
counterparts:
In almost every case, those who were deprogrammed recovered more quickly
and experienced fewer long-time effects than those who were not.
Deprogrammees needed an average 10 months‟ less rehabilitation time than
non-deprogrammees (14 months instead of 24 months) and reported, on the
average, less than half the long-term effects. (Conway &Siegelman, 1982, p.
92)
In a review of her clinical cases involving former cultists, Singer (1979, p 75) found that
“many members of our groups tell us they were grateful for the intervention and had been
hoping for [a deprogramming]” (a view that at one point was also expressed by Ken, the
cultist in my study):
These people say that they had felt themselves powerless to carry out their desire to leave
because of psychological and social pressures from companions and officials inside. They
often speak of a combination of guilt over defecting and fear of the cults retaliation -
excommunication -if the) tried (Singer, 1979, p. 75).
Singer admitted that the majority of her therapy clients had beer deprogrammed from their
cults, or immediately following a voluntary exit She did not address the possible bias implied
by Us skewed clinical sample.
Conway and Siegelman found the vast majority of their sample had been celibate, and that
sexual exploitation by leaders was minimal. Physical punishment (e.g., beatings, bondage,
food deprivation, cold showers) was reported by about 20% of the respondents. This sample
reported spending three to seven hours each day practicing some form of autohypnotic
ritual. An additional 20 to 30 hours per week were reportedly spent in other cult- related
rituals and/or lectures thus, a total of 40 to 70 hours per week (55 hours was the mean)
were spent in some form of devotional activity that could be labeled “thought stopping.” In
addition, 52% of Conway and Siegehnan's sample reported post-cult symptoms of “floating”
(spontaneous trance-like states), 40% reported recurring nightmares about their groups,
35% reported “being unable to break [cultic mental rhythms of chanting, meditation or
speaking in tongues” (Conway &Siegelman, 1982, p. 90), and 21% experienced some
memory loss. Conway and Siegelman found a direct correlation between the amount of time
spent per week in cult ritual and indoctrination and the number of long-term adverse
effects:
Our findings appear to confirm that the psychological trauma cults inflict upon
their members is directly related to the amount of time spent in indoctrination
and mind control rituals. Perhaps most startling of all was a second finding ...
[that] most of the damage appears to be done in the first few months [of cult
membership]. (Conway &Siegelman, 1982, p. 90)
In my experience as therapist for former cultists, I have seen a distinct difference between
my deprogrammed and nondeprogrammed clients. Although both demonstrated
ambivalence toward their cult experiences, the nondeprogrammed clients seemed more
confused about their ambivalence, and were generally in much greater internal conflict.
They generally had greater difficulty resolving family conflicts. As opposed to their
deprogrammed counterparts, they generally demonstrated greater vulnerability to other
forms of unethical social influence: they tended to be more easily attracted to other
manipulative groups, became more readily involved in physically and/or psychologically
abusive romantic relationships, and were more likely to lm vulnerable to sales and
marketing frauds. They also reported more “floating- like” symptoms than did
deprogrammed clients, but had more difficult) recognizing and labeling these states. In the
Conway and Siegelman study, deprogrammed former cultists also appeared to make a more
rapid transition to improved psychological functioning than did their nondeprogrammed
counterparts:
In almost every case, those who were deprogrammed recovered more quickly
and experienced fewer long-time effects than those who were not.
Deprogrammees needed an average 10 months‟ less rehabilitation time than
non-deprogrammees (14 months instead of 24 months) and reported, on the
average, less than half the long-term effects. (Conway &Siegelman, 1982, p.
92)
In a review of her clinical cases involving former cultists, Singer (1979, p 75) found that
“many members of our groups tell us they were grateful for the intervention and had been
hoping for [a deprogramming]” (a view that at one point was also expressed by Ken, the
cultist in my study):
These people say that they had felt themselves powerless to carry out their desire to leave
because of psychological and social pressures from companions and officials inside. They
often speak of a combination of guilt over defecting and fear of the cults retaliation -
excommunication -if the) tried (Singer, 1979, p. 75).
Singer admitted that the majority of her therapy clients had beer deprogrammed from their
cults, or immediately following a voluntary exit She did not address the possible bias implied
by Us skewed clinical sample.
