Syftet med studien var att se om psykiskt välbefinnande hos avhoppare från sekter är relaterat till förekomsten av psykiska övergrepp i den rörelse som lämnats samt att undersöka hur avhoppares psykiska välbefinnande ser ut. Deltagare var 57 avhoppare från åtta olika religiösa rörelser i Sverige. De rekryterades huvudsakligen genom hjälporganisationer för avhoppare och deltog genom att svara på frågor via ett nätformulär. Resultaten visade att högre förekomst av psykiska övergrepp, mätt med GPA-skalan, var relaterat till sämre psykiskt välbefinnande, mätt med CORE-OM, vilket var enligt hypotesen. Det fanns däremot inte något samband mellan psykiskt välbefinnande och antalet år i rörelsen eller antalet år sedan avhoppet. Vidare framkom att avhoppare har sämre psykiskt välbefinnande än normalbefolkningen, vilket var enligt hypotesen, där högt riskbeteende var utmärkande. Ett förslag till slutsats är att sämre psykiskt välbefinnande hos avhoppare till stor del orsakas av psykiska övergrepp som förekommit i rörelsen. Vidare indikerar resultaten att vården bör vara observant på riskbeteende hos denna patientgrupp samt att avhoppare skulle vara hjälpta av större kunskap hos vårdpersonal om sektmiljöer. / The aim of this study was to examine if psychological well-being among ex-cult members is related to the extent of psychological abuse in the group, and to investigate the level and characteristics of their psychological well-being. Participants were 57 ex-cult members from eight different Swedish religious groups, who were primarily recruited from organizations for ex-cult members. They participated by answering an internet questionnaire. The results showed that higher levels of psychological abuse, measured with the GPA-scale, was related to lower levels of psychological well-being, measured with the CORE-OM, which supported the hypothesis. On the other hand, no relation was found between psychological well-being and the number of years in the group or the number of years since leaving the group. Furthermore it was found that ex-cult members have a lower level of psychological well-being than the normal population, which was in accordance with the hypothesis, in particular showing an elevated risk behaviour. The suggested conclusion is that low psychological well-being among ex-cult members is to a great extent caused by psychological abuse in the group. The results also indicate that personnel in health care should be aware of risk behaviour among these patients and that ex-cult members would benefit from better insight in cult environments by personnel in health care.

Die doel van hierdie studie was om vas te stel of daar 'n behoefte aan spesifieke terapeutiese riglyne vir oudlede van destruktiewe kultes bestaan. Die studie is daarop gemik om aanvullend tot die bestaande inligting rakende terapie te werk te gaan. Die uitgangspunt van hierdie studie is dat die invloed wat psigiese beheer (mind control) op 'n persoon kan he, tydens terapie in aanmerking geneem behoort te word. Gedurende literatuurstudie en persoonlike kontak met oud-kultelede is bevind dat individue selfs jare na die beeindiging van lidmaatskap onder die gevolge van psigiese beheer ly. Dit wil voorkom asof die probleme nie opklaar voordat insig ontwikkel is in die wyse waarop misleiding en beheer plaasgevind het nie. Dit sou vir 'n terapeut dus nodig wees om die verbande wat daar tussen sielkundige probleme wat deur persone ervaar word en psigiese beheer bestaan, in te sien voordat terapie suksesvol aangepak kan word. Ter aanvang is die definisies en kenmerke van kultes bespreek. Die persoonlikheid, wyse van gesagsuitoefening en relasies van die tipiese kulteleier is aan die orde gestel. Faktore wat vatbaarheid vir werwing by kultes kan verhoog, is bespreek en onderskeid is getref tussen die twee belangrikste beinvloedingstrategiee wat daar in kultes kan bestaan, te wete breinspoeling en psigiese beheer. Die verloop van die proses van psigiese beheer is bespreek asook die nadele wat lidmaatskap by kultes vir die individu kan inhou. Die volgende sielkundige prosesse wat by psigiese beheer betrokke kan wees, is aan die orde gestel, naamlik: houdings, oorreding, kognitiewe dissonansie en toestande van gewysigde bewussyn waaronder dissasiasie, psigagene amnesie, depersanalisasie, derealisasie, hipnose en suggestie. Ten einde meer akkurate inligting van die tipiese aud-kultelid te bekam, is anderhaude met ses aud-kultelede gevaer. Terwille van kwalitatiewe verdieping, is diepte-andersaeke op twee van hierdie persane uitgevaer. Op grand van inligting wat uit die literatuurstudie en van die praefpersone verkry is, is riglyne vir die antwerp van 'n terapeutiese program vir oud-kultelede saamgestel. / The aim of this study is to ascertain whether a need exists for specific therapeutic guidelines for ex-members of destructive cults. This study is intended to work complementary to existing therapeutic techniques. The point of departure of this study is that the influence that the process of mind control can have on a person, should be taken into consideration in therapy. During the literature study and personal contact with ex-cult members it was found that even years after they had left the cult, individuals still suffered from the consequences of mind control. Apparently problems are not solved before insight is gained into the way in which deception and control has taken place. For a therapist it would thus be necessary to gain insight into the relationship that exists between psychological problems that people experience and mind control before therapy can be successfully undertaken. Initially the definitions and characteristics of cults are discussed. The personality, methods of exercising control and the relationships of the typical cult leader are discussed. Factors that can make a person more vulnerable to recruitment are discussed and a distinction is made between the two main influencing strategies in cults, namely brainwashing and mind control. The course of the process of mind control is discussed, as well as the personal disadvantages of membership to cults. The following psychological processes which can be present in mind control, are discussed, namely: attitudes, persuasion, cognitive dissonance and conditions of altered consciousness, i.e. dissociation, psychogenic amnesia, depersonalisation, derealisation, hypnosis and suggestion. In order to obtain more accurate information about the typical ex-cult member, interviews were conducted with a sample group of six persons. For the sake of qualitative deepening, in-depth studies were conducted with two of these persons. On the basis of the information that was obtained from the literature study and from the sample group, guidelines for the design of a therapeutic program for ex-cultists are presented. / Psychology of education / D. Ed. (Sielkundige Opvoedkunde)

Die doel van hierdie studie was om vas te stel of daar 'n behoefte aan spesifieke terapeutiese riglyne vir oudlede van destruktiewe kultes bestaan. Die studie is daarop gemik om aanvullend tot die bestaande inligting rakende terapie te werk te gaan. Die uitgangspunt van hierdie studie is dat die invloed wat psigiese beheer (mind control) op 'n persoon kan he, tydens terapie in aanmerking geneem behoort te word. Gedurende literatuurstudie en persoonlike kontak met oud-kultelede is bevind dat individue selfs jare na die beeindiging van lidmaatskap onder die gevolge van psigiese beheer ly. Dit wil voorkom asof die probleme nie opklaar voordat insig ontwikkel is in die wyse waarop misleiding en beheer plaasgevind het nie. Dit sou vir 'n terapeut dus nodig wees om die verbande wat daar tussen sielkundige probleme wat deur persone ervaar word en psigiese beheer bestaan, in te sien voordat terapie suksesvol aangepak kan word. Ter aanvang is die definisies en kenmerke van kultes bespreek. Die persoonlikheid, wyse van gesagsuitoefening en relasies van die tipiese kulteleier is aan die orde gestel. Faktore wat vatbaarheid vir werwing by kultes kan verhoog, is bespreek en onderskeid is getref tussen die twee belangrikste beinvloedingstrategiee wat daar in kultes kan bestaan, te wete breinspoeling en psigiese beheer. Die verloop van die proses van psigiese beheer is bespreek asook die nadele wat lidmaatskap by kultes vir die individu kan inhou. Die volgende sielkundige prosesse wat by psigiese beheer betrokke kan wees, is aan die orde gestel, naamlik: houdings, oorreding, kognitiewe dissonansie en toestande van gewysigde bewussyn waaronder dissasiasie, psigagene amnesie, depersanalisasie, derealisasie, hipnose en suggestie. Ten einde meer akkurate inligting van die tipiese aud-kultelid te bekam, is anderhaude met ses aud-kultelede gevaer. Terwille van kwalitatiewe verdieping, is diepte-andersaeke op twee van hierdie persane uitgevaer. Op grand van inligting wat uit die literatuurstudie en van die praefpersone verkry is, is riglyne vir die antwerp van 'n terapeutiese program vir oud-kultelede saamgestel. / The aim of this study is to ascertain whether a need exists for specific therapeutic guidelines for ex-members of destructive cults. This study is intended to work complementary to existing therapeutic techniques. The point of departure of this study is that the influence that the process of mind control can have on a person, should be taken into consideration in therapy. During the literature study and personal contact with ex-cult members it was found that even years after they had left the cult, individuals still suffered from the consequences of mind control. Apparently problems are not solved before insight is gained into the way in which deception and control has taken place. For a therapist it would thus be necessary to gain insight into the relationship that exists between psychological problems that people experience and mind control before therapy can be successfully undertaken. Initially the definitions and characteristics of cults are discussed. The personality, methods of exercising control and the relationships of the typical cult leader are discussed. Factors that can make a person more vulnerable to recruitment are discussed and a distinction is made between the two main influencing strategies in cults, namely brainwashing and mind control. The course of the process of mind control is discussed, as well as the personal disadvantages of membership to cults. The following psychological processes which can be present in mind control, are discussed, namely: attitudes, persuasion, cognitive dissonance and conditions of altered consciousness, i.e. dissociation, psychogenic amnesia, depersonalisation, derealisation, hypnosis and suggestion. In order to obtain more accurate information about the typical ex-cult member, interviews were conducted with a sample group of six persons. For the sake of qualitative deepening, in-depth studies were conducted with two of these persons. On the basis of the information that was obtained from the literature study and from the sample group, guidelines for the design of a therapeutic program for ex-cultists are presented. / Psychology of education / D. Ed. (Sielkundige Opvoedkunde)