The personality of ex-cult members

A sample of 75 ex-members of cults or new religious movements completed two personality inventories: the short form of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire and the Beck Sociotropy-Autonomy Scale. Compared to the norms, the sample exhibited elevated scores on neuroticism, sociotropy and autonomy. The elevated neuroticism scores increasingly approached the norm as a function of time out of the cult. Ex-members in contact with support groups showed reduced levels of neuroticism and sociotropy in comparison with those who were not. While it is not possible to draw firm conclusions from a study of this design, the results are consistent with the view that people with high autonomy scores are likely to leave or be ejected from cults or new religious movements and that doing so may cause psychological difficulties which are ameliorated by time and attendance at a support group.