Are cultic environments psychologically harmful?

Clinical Psychology Review

Volumn 20, Issue 1, 2000, Pages 91-111

  Aronoff, Jodi ^a   Lynn, Steven Jay ^b   Malinoski, Peter ^a  

^a OHIO UNIVERSITY   (United States)

^b BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

CULTURAL FACTOR; ENVIRONMENTAL FACTOR; HUMAN; MENTAL DISEASE; METHODOLOGY; PSYCHOLOGY; RELIGION; RESEARCH; REVIEW;

HUMANS; MENTAL DISORDERS; PERSUASIVE COMMUNICATION; RELIGION AND MEDICINE; RELIGIOUS PHILOSOPHIES;

EID: 0033958378     PISSN: 02727358     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/S0272-7358(98)00093-2     Document Type: Article

References (103)

1. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. 3rd ed., rev. 1987;Author, Washington, DC.
2. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. 4th ed:1994;Author, Washington, DC.
3. Alexander J.W. Religious freedom at secular schools. Cultic Studies Journal. 2:1985;318-320.
4. Anthony D., Robbins T. Law, social science and the "brainwashing" exception to the First Amendment. Behavioral Sciences and the Law. 10:1992;5-29.
5. Aronoff, J., & Lynn, S. J. (1996). Psychopathology, dissociation, and depression in treatment-seeking cult members, college students, and simulators. Unpublished master's thesis, Ohio University, Athens, OH.
6. Ash S.M. Cult induced psychopathology, Part I. Clinical picture Cultic Studies Journal. 2:1985;31-90.
7. Ayella M. "They must be crazy" Some of the difficulties in researching "cults." American Behavioral Scientist. 33:1990;562-577.
8. Barker E. The scientific study of religion? You must be joking! Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. 34:1995;287-310.
9. Beck A.T., Ward C.H., Mendelson M., Mock J., Erbaugh J. An inventory for measuring depression. Archives of General Psychiatry. 4:1961;561-571.
10. Berube, M. S., Neely, D. J., & DeVinne, P. B. (1983). The American Heritage dictionary (2nd college ed.). New York: Houghton Mifflin Company.
11. Bird F., Reimer B. Participation rates in new religions and para-religious movements. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. 21:1982;1-14.
12. Bromley D.G., Shupe A.D. Jr., Ventimiglia J.C. The role of anecdotal atrocities in the social construction of evil. Bromley D.G., Richardson J.T. The brainwashing/deprogramming controversy. Sociological, psychological, legal, and historical perspectives:1983;139-160 The Edwin Mellen Press, New York.
13. Bruning J.L., Kintz B.L. Computational handbook of statistics. 3rd ed:1987;Scott, Foresman and Company, Glenview, IL.
14. Butterfield S. Amway, the cult of free enterprise. 1985;South End, Boston.
15. Chambers W.V., Langone M.D., Dole A.A., Grice J.W. The Group Psychological Abuse Scale. A measure of the varieties of cultic abuse Cultic Studies Journal. 11:1994;88-117.
16. Clark D., Giambalvo C., Giambalvo N., Garvey K., Langone M.D. Exit counseling. A practical overview Langone M.D. Recovery from cults. 1993;155-180 W. W. Norton, New York.
17. Clark J.G. Cults. Journal of the American Medical Association. 242:1979;279-281.
18. Coleman L. New religions and the myth of mind control. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. 54:1984;322-325.
19. Conway F., Siegelman J. Snapping. America's epidemic of sudden personality change:1978;Lippincott, Philadelphia, PA.
20. Conway F., Siegelman J. Information disease. Have cults created a new mental illness? Science Digest. 10:1982;86-92.
21. Conway F., Siegelman J.H., Carmichael C.W., Coggins J. Information disease. Effects of covert induction and deprogramming Update: A Journal of New Religious Movements. 10:1986;45-57.
22. Comrey A.L. Comrey Personality Scales. 1970;Educational and Industrial Testing Service, San Diego, CA. a.
23. Comrey A.L. Manual for the Comrey Personality Scales. 1970;Educational and Industrial Testing Service, San Diego, CA. b.
24. Crown S. Contraindications and dangers of psychotherapy. British Journal of Psychiatry. 143:1983;436-441.
25. Cushman P. The politics of vulnerability. Youth in religious cults Psychohistory Review. 12:1984;5-17.
26. Delgado R. Religious totalism. Gentle and ungentle persuasion under the First Amendment Southern California Law Review. 51:1977;1-97.
27. Derogatis L.R., Lipman R.S., Rickels K., Uhlenhuth E.H., Covi L. The Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL). A self-report symptom inventory Behavioral Science. 19:1974;1-15.
28. Deutsch A., Miller M.J. A clinical study of four Unification Church members. American Journal of Psychiatry. 140:1983;767-770.
29. Exner J. The Rorschach. A comprehensive system, current research and advanced interpretation (Vol. II):1978;John Wiley and Sons, New York.
30. Fenigstein A., Scheier M.F., Buss A.H. Public and private self-consciousness. Assessment and theory Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 43:1975;522-527.
31. Galanter M. Psychological induction into the large-group. Findings from a modern religious sect American Journal of Psychiatry. 137:1980;1574-1579.
32. Galanter M. Unification Church ("Moonie") dropouts. Psychological readjustment after leaving a charismatic religious group American Journal of Psychiatry. 140:1983;984-989.
33. Galanter M., Buckley P. Evangelical religion and meditation. Psychotherapeutic effects Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease. 166:1978;685-691.
34. Galanter M., Buckley P., Deutsch A., Rabkin R., Rabkin I. Large group influence for decreased drug use. Findings from two contemporary religious sects American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse. 7:1980;291-304.
35. Galanter M., Rabkin R., Rabkin I., Deutsch A. The "Moonies" A psychological study of conversion and membership in a contemporary religious sect American Journal of Psychiatry. 136:1979;165-170.
36. Galanti G. Cult conversion, deprogramming, and the triune brain. Cultic Studies Journal. 10:1993;45-52.
37. Glass L.L., Kirsch M.A., Parris F.N. Psychiatric disturbances associated with Erhard Seminars Training, I. A report of cases American Journal of Psychiatry. 134:1977;245-247.
38. Goldberg L., Goldberg W. Group work with former cultists. Social Work. 27:1982;165-170.
39. Gough H. California psychological inventory. 1987;Consulting Psychologists Press, Palo Alto, CA.
40. Halperin D.A. Psychiatric perspectives on cult affiliation. Psychiatric Annals. 20:1990;204-213.
41. Hassan S. Combating cult mind control. 1988;Park Street Press, Rochester, VT.
42. Hathaway S.R., McKinley J.C. Manual for the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (Rev.). 1951;The Psychological Corporation, New York.
43. Herman J. Complex PTSD. A syndrome in survivors of prolonged and repeated trauma Journal of Traumatic Stress. 5:1992;377-391.
44. Kendall-Tackett, K. A., Williams, L. M., & Finkelhor, D. (1993). Psychological Bulletin, 113, 164-180.
45. Kessler R.C., McGonagle K.A., Zhao S., Nelson C.B., Hughes M., Eshleman S., Wittchen H., Kendler K. Lifetime and 12-month prevalence of DSM-III-R psychiatric disorders in the United States. Archives of General Psychiatry. 51:1994;8-18.
46. La Forge R., Suczek R. Interpersonal checklist. 1995;Rolfe La Forge, Mill Valley, CA.
47. Lambert M.J., Bergin A.E. The effectiveness of psychotherapy. Bergin A.E., Garfield S.L. Handbook of psychotherapy and behavior change. 4th ed:1994;143-189 John Wiley and Sons, New York.
48. Langone M.D. Helping cult victims. Historical background Langone M.D. Recovery from cults. Help for victims of psychological and spiritual abuse:1993;22-51 W. W. Norton, New York. a.
49. Langone M.D. Introduction. Langone M.D. Recovery from cults. Help for victims of psychological and spiritual abuse:1993;1-21 W. W. Norton, New York. b.
50. Langone, M. D., Chambers, W. V., Dole, A., & Grice, J. (in press). Results of a survey of ex-cult members. Cultic Studies Journal.
51. Langone, M. D., Malinoski, P. T., Aronoff, J. B., Zelikovsky, N. B., & Lynn, S. J. (1996). Psychological distress in former cult members and a comparison group. Manuscript in preparation, Ohio University, Athens, OH.
52. Latkin C.A. Self-consciousness in members of a new religious movement. the Rajneeshees Journal of Social Psychology. 130:1990;557-558.
53. Levine S.V. The role of psychiatry in the phenomenon of cults. Adolescent Psychiatry. 8:1980;123-137. (Reprinted from the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 24, 593-603).
54. Levine S.V. Cults and mental health. Clinical conclusions Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. 26:1981;534-539.
55. Levine S.V. Radical departures. Psychology Today August. 21-27:1984.
56. Levine S.V., Salter N.E. Youth and contemporary religious movements. Psychosocial findings Canadian Psychiatric Association Journal. 21:1976;411-420.
57. Lewis J.R., Bromley D.G. The cult withdrawal syndrome. A case of misattribution of cause? Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. 26:1987;508-522.
58. Lifton R.J. Thought reform and the psychology of totalism. 1961;University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, NC.
59. Lottick E.A. Survey reveals physicians' experiences with cults. Pennsylvania Medicine. 96:1993;26-28.
60. MacHovec F.J. Cults, personality and pathology. Psychotherapy in Private Practice. 8(4):1991;77-85.
61. Malinosky-Rummel R., Hansen D.J. Long-term consequences of childhood physical abuse. Psychological Bulletin. 114:1993;68-79.
62. Malony, H. N. (1994). Freedom of speech and assembly. In L. Holzman (Chair), Protecting constitutional rights: The social and scientific responsibility of psychologists. Symposium conducted at the American Psychological Association, Los Angeles, CA.
63. Maron N. Family environment as a factor in vulnerability to cult involvement. Cultic Studies Journal. 5:1988;23-43.
64. Martin P.R. Post-cult recovery. Assessment and rehabilitation Langone M.D. Recovery from cults. Help for victims of psychological and spiritual abuse:1993;203-231 W. W. Norton, New York.
65. Martin, P. R., Aronoff, J. B., Zelikovsky, N. Z., Malinoski, P. T., & Lynn, S. J. (1996). Former cult members and college students: Psychological distress and dissociation. Manuscript in preparation.
66. Martin P.R., Langone M.D., Dole A.A., Wiltrout J. Post-cult symptoms as measured by the MCMI before and after residential treatment. Cultic Studies Journal. 9:1992;219-249.
67. Maslach C., Jackson C. Maslach burnout inventory. 1979;Consulting Psychologists Press, Palo Alto, CA.
68. Millon T. The Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory manual. 3rd ed:1983;National Computer Systems, Minneapolis, MN.
69. Millon T. Manual for the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-II (MCMI-II). 2nd ed:1987;National Computer Systems, Minneapolis, MN.
70. Nicholi A.M. A new dimension of youth culture. American Journal of Psychiatry. 131:1974;396-401.
71. Robbins T., Anthony D. Getting straight with Meher Baba. A study of drug rehabilitation, mysticism, and post-adolescent role conflict Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. 11:1972;122-140.
72. Robbins T., Anthony D. The limits of "coercive persuasion" as an explanation for conversion to authoritarian sects. Political Psychology. 2:1980;22-37.
73. Rorschach H. Psychodiagnostics. 1942;Hans Huber, Bern, Switzerland.
74. Rosedale H.L., Langone M. On using the term cult. Cults and psychological abuse. A resource guide:1998;American Family Foundation, Bonita Springs, FL.
75. Saliba J.A. Psychiatry and the new cults. Part II Academic Psychology Bulletin. 7:1985;361-375.
76. Schwartz L.L. Leaving the cults. Update: A Journal of New Religious Movements. 9:1985;3-12.
77. Schwartz L.L., Kaslow F.W. Religious cults, the individual and the family. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy. 5:1979;15-26.
78. Shupe A.D., Bromley D.G., Oliver D.L. The anti-cult movement in America. A bibliography and historical survey:1984;Garland Publishing, Inc, New York.
79. Singer M. Therapy with former cult members. National Association of Private Psychiatric Hospitals Journal. 9:1978;14-18.
80. Singer, M. T. (1979). Coming out of the cults. Psychology Today, 72-82.
81. Singer M.T., Lalich J. Cults in our midst. 1995;Jossey-Bass Publishers, San Francisco, CA.
82. Singer M., Ofshe R. Thought reform programs and the production of psychiatric casualties. Psychiatric Annals. 20:1990;188-193.
83. Sirkin M.I. Cult involvement. A systems approach to assessment and treatment Psychotherapy. 27:1990;116-123.
84. Sirkin M.I., Grellong B.A. Cult vs. non-cult Jewish families. Factors influencing conversion Cultic Studies Journal. 5:1988;2-21.
85. Sirkin M.I., Wynne L.C. Cult involvement as a relational disorder. Psychiatric Annals. 20:1990;199-203.
86. Solomon T. Programming and deprogramming the "Moonies" Social psychology applied Bromley D.G., Richardson J.T. The brainwashing/deprogramming controversy. Sociological, psychological, legal, and historical perspectives:1983;163-181 The Edwin Mellen Press, New York.
87. Spero M.H. Individual psychodynamic intervention with religious cult devotees. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease. 170:1982;332-344.
88. Spero M.H. Some pre- and post-treatment characteristics of cult devotees. Perceptual and Motor Skills. 58:1984;749-750.
89. Stipes G.P. Principles of religious cult indoctrination. Journal of Psychology and Christianity. 4(3):1985;64-72.
90. Sunberg N.D., Latkin C.A., Littman R.A., Hagan R.A. Personality in a religious commune. CPIs in Rajneeshpuram Journal of Personality Assessment. 55:1990;7-17.
91. Swartling G., Swartling P.G. Psychiatric problems in ex-members of Word of Life. Cultic Studies Journal. 9:1992;78-88.
92. Ungerleider J.T., Wellisch D.K. Coercive persuasion (brainwashing), religious cults, and deprogramming. American Journal of Psychiatry. 136:1979;279-282.
93. Wechsler D. The measurement and appraisal of adult intelligence. 4th ed:1958;Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, MD.
94. Weiss A.S., Comrey A.L. Personality characteristics of Hare Krishnas. Journal of Personality Assessment. 51:1987;399-413.
95. West L.J. A psychiatric overview of cult-related phenomena. Journal of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis. 21:1993;1-19.
96. West L.J., Langone M.D. Cultism. A conference for scholars and policy makers. Summary of proceedings of the Wingspread conference on cultism, September 9-11:1985;American Family Foundation, Weston, MA.
97. West L.J., Martin P.R. Pseudo-identity and the treatment of personality change in victims of captivity and cults. Lynn S.J., Rhue J.W. Dissociation. Clinical and theoretical perspectives:1994;268-288 Guilford Press, New York.
98. West L.J., Singer M.T. Cults, quacks and nonprofessional therapies. Kaplan H.I., Freedman A.M., Sadock B.J. A comprehensive textbook of psychiatry (Vol. 3). 1980;3245-3258 Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore.
99. Williams J.B.W., Gibbon M., First M.B., Spitzer R.L., Davies M., Borus J., Howes M.J., Kane J., Pope H.G., Rounsaville B., Wittchen H. The structured clinical interview for DSM-III-R (SCID). Multisite test-retest reliability Archives of General Psychiatry. 49:1992;630-636.
100. Witkin R. Embedded figures test. 1971;Consulting Psychologists Press, Palo Alto, CA.
101. Wright S.A. Reconceptualizing cult coercion and withdrawal. A comparative analysis of divorce and apostasy Social Forces. 70:1991;125-145.
102. Zerin M.F. The Pied Piper phenomenon and processing of victims. The transactional analysis perspective re-examined Transactional Analysis Journal. 13:1983;172-177.
103. Zimbardo P.G., Hartley M.A. Cults go to high school. A theoretical and empirical analysis of the inital stage in the recruitment process Cultic Studies Journal. 2:1984;91-147.