Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 9, No. 2, 1992, Page 50
in Bannerman, 1990). Clearly, our culture has become narcissistically preoccupied with self-
gratification and confused about ethics and the meaning of respect.
By overemphasizing self-gratification and maligning life‟s “shoulds,” the mental health field
has unfortunately contributed significantly to the new narcissism. The field can begin to
make amends to society by paying more attention to what it means to respect other people
and by standing by the victims of psychological abuse and encouraging them to express
their moral outrage. Only by listening to, understanding, and affirming that moral outrage
can society rediscover the meaning of respect and revitalize the rules of fair play that keep
genuine pluralism alive.
References
Bannerman, B. (1990). Satanic ritual abuse: The phenomenon resurfaces --are social
workers prepared? Dissertation, Graduate School of Social Work, University of
Southern Mississippi.
Cialdini, R. (1984). Influence: How and why people agree to things. New York: William
Morrow and Company, Inc.
Hart, S. N, &Brassard, M. R. (1987). A Major threat to children‟s mental health:
Psychological maltreatment. American Psychologist, 42 (2), 160-165.
Ofshe, R., &Singer, M. T. (1986). Attacks on peripheral versus central elements of self
and the impact of thought reforming techniques. Cultic Studies Journal, 31(1), 3-24.
Rosedale, H. L. (1989). Legal analysis of intent as a continuum emphasizing social context
of volition. Cultic Studies Journal, 6 (1), 25-31.
Shaver, K. G., &Drown, D. (1986). On causality, responsibility, and self-blame: A
theoretical note. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 50 (4), 697-702.
Singer, M. T., &Langone, M. D. (1990). Psychotherapy cults. Cultic Studies Journal, 7(2),
101-125.
********************
Michael D. Langone, Ph.D., Editor of the Cultic Studies Journal, is the Executive Director
of the American Family Foundation, coauthor of Cults: What parents should know and
Satanism and occult-related violence, and Editor of the forthcoming Recovery from cults.
This article is an electronic version of an article originally published in Cultic Studies Journal, 1992, Volume 8,
Number 2, pages 206-218. Please keep in mind that the pagination of this electronic reprint differs from that of the
bound volume. This fact could affect how you enter bibliographic information in papers that you may write.

Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 9, No. 2, 1992, Page 51
Post-Cult Symptoms As Measured by the MCMI Before and
After Residential Treatment
Paul R. Martin, Ph.D.
Wellspring Retreat and Resource Center
Michael D. Langone, Ph.D.
American Family Foundation
Arthur A. Dole, Ph.D.
University of Pennsylvania
Jeffrey Wiltrout
Department of Psychology
Ohio University
Abstract
Two groups of former cultists were administered the MCMI and other
psychological tests in order to assess the nature and magnitude of post-cult
psychological problems. One group consisted of 13 former cultists who
attended an educational conference on cults. The other group was made up of
Ill former cultists who attended a residential treatment center. In order to
evaluate the effectiveness of this treatment, 66 members of the latter group
participated in a six-month followup. Post-cult distress at initial testing was
high and did not differ between groups. Pre-post evaluations of the treatment
group indicated a strong treatment effect. Marked personality configuration
shifts in the MCMI profile after treatment occurred. Results appear to support
the view that dissociative processes are central to the cult experience.
Cults are exploitatively manipulative groups that utilize thought reform programs (Ofshe &
Singer, 1986 Singer &Ofshe,1990) to subordinate members‟ well-being to the goals of
leaders (Langone, in press). Clinical investigations of former members of cultic and related
groups indicate that cult involvement results in a significant level of distress for this
population (Clark, 1979 Goldberg &Goldberg, 1982 Hochman, 1984 Schwartz, 1985
Singer, 1978, 1987 Spero, 1982 Swartling &Swartling, 1992 Temerlin &Temerlin, 1982
West &Singer, 1980). According to clinicians, the most common symptoms ex- cultists
experience are emotional volatility, dissociative symptoms such as “floating” (a
phenomenon similar to drug flashbacks), depression, loneliness, guilt, inability to
concentrate, indecisiveness, difficulty communicating, fear of retribution, fatigue, a sense of
a spiritual-religious-philosophical void, career confusion, and conflicts with family.
The handful of studies that have collected statistical data on ex-cultists have, by and large,
supported clinical observations. Among the statistical findings bearing on distress are the
following:
Conway, Siegelman, Carmichael, &Coggins, 1986 (The sample consisted of 353ex-cultists
from 48 different groups. Because subjects reported on “lasting effects,” symptom reports
may reflect in-cult as well as post-cult difficulties.)
 75% depression
 68% loneliness
 68% anger toward group leader
 59% guilt feelings regarding leaving the group
 59% feelings of humiliation/embarrassment
 52% suicidal tendencies