Identity Status of Jewish Youth Pre- and Post- Involvement1"

Idy B. Gitelson, Ph.D. and Edward J. Reed, Coordinator Interagency Project on , Response Center, Chicago

. . . it appears that cult members report having suffered moderate to severe psycho­ logical symptoms prior to their recruitment. Clinicians working with cult members report that the period of vulnerability is marked by both depression and a sense of being between affiliations.

New religious groups, arising outside the die-class, idealistic, college-educated youth. traditions of mainstream American reli­ In conjunction with the authors' clinical gions, demonstrated a significant growth work with families of cult members and period during the past decade. Rudin1 former cult members themselves, a case points out that sociologists have docu­ study was designed to better understand mented the development of 1,300 new the notion of vulnerability to cult involve­ religious groups since 1965, which involve ment. The study particularly focused on thousands of young adults. The literature young adults from the Jewish community. frequently refers to a proportion of these As indicated in studies by Levine and groups as religious cults. For the purpose Galanter, et. al.,3 it appears that cult of this study the term cult refers to a group members report having suffered moderate characterized by an intense relationship to severe psychological symptoms prior to between a living, often messianic leader their recruitment. Clinicians working with and followers who totally restructure their cult members report that the period of lives around the leader's philosophical vulnerability is marked by the presence of claims. both depression and a sense of being The Jewish community in recent years between affiliations. This description of the has become increasingly concerned about period of vulnerability provided by Singer4 the numbers of Jewish youth involved in and other clinicians who have worked with religious cults. While precise numbers are ex-cult members is similar to observations not known, Davis2 estimates that 12 percent made about late adolescence in general. of the 's total member­ ship is Jewish. The Jewish community is also disproportionately represented in the 3 population from which many cult members M. Galanter, R. Rabkin, J. Rabkin and A. Deutsch, "The Moonies: A Psychological Study of are currently drawn: 18-25 years old, mid- Conversion and Membership in a Contemporary Religious ," American Journal of Psychiatry, * Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Con­ 136:2 (February 1979) and Saul V. Levine, "Youth ference of Jewish Communal Service, Denver, and Religious Cults: A Societal and Clinical , May 27, 1980. Dilemma," in Sherman C. Feinstein and Peter L. 1 Marcia R. Rudin, "The New Religious Cults and Giovacchini, (eds.), Adolescent Psychiatry, Vol. VI. the Jewish Community," Religious Education, May- Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1978, pp. June 1978, pp. 350-360. 75-89. 2 Maurice Davis, "Lure of the Cults," an address 4 Margaret T. Singer, "Coming Out of the Cults," given in Northfield, Illinois. February 26, 1979. Psychology Today. January 1979. pp. 72-82.

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According to Erikson5 and other develop­ distinguishable from identity diffusion mental psychologists, the tasks of late during which the crisis is vague or the adolescence involve establishing one's uncertainties are pervasive. Foreclosure is identity and forming intimate relationships used to describe the status in which an with others. The feelings of depression and individual has made an early commitment sense of being between affiliations which without experiencing any crisis. The individuals report experiencing prior to example often used of a foreclosed in­ recruitment may be reflective of the ways dividual is of the college student whose they were struggling with these life tasks. parents want him to go to medical school Erikson postulated that successful iden­ who follows through on their wishes without tity formation will be achieved only after internal struggle. an individual goes through a period of In order to gather data about the period crisis. He does not assume that the road to of vulnerability former cult members with identity achievement is smooth and con­ Jewish backgrounds were asked to focus

tinuous. Erikson's polar concepts of ego on the critical period (Tv), and then contrast

identity and ego diffusion have been it with their time in the cult (Tc) and the elaborated upon by James Marcia6 in present (Tp). From the previous research several empirical studies of college students. on cult membership we expected to inter­ In operationalizing Erikson's work Marcia view ex-members who had either been in identified four identity statuses which are college or were college bound. Thus we felt distinguished by the presence or absence of that the research on identity status among crisis and/or commitment. Marcia views college students to be directly relevant to these crises as involving occupational goals our concerns. We hypothesized that the as well as a religious and political belief. depression characterizing the period of vul­ Marcia's identity statuses include: 1. nerability would relate to being in a state of identity achievement; 2. identity diffusion; either extended moratorium or identity 3. moratorium; 4. foreclosure. Identity diffusion. Furthermore, given our interest achievement has been described above as in Jewish youth we were particularly in­ the optimal process by which an individual terested in characterizing religious identity experiences a crisis of some duration and status in order to better understand then makes the necessary commitments. vulnerability. Identity diffusion is described as the state in which an individual may or may not Method experience crisis but has not made a com­ Given the exploratory nature of this mitment. Moratorium is described as a research we choose to use a study approach. period in which the individual is in crisis As Lijhart7 points out, the great advantage but has not yet made a commitment. Social of the case study is that by focusing on a scientists have come to view the college single case, that case can be intensively years as a time during which it is normative examined even when the resources are to be in a state of moratorium. Quite relatively limited. The limited research clearly moratorium is viewed as a transi­ resources facing us were those of a limited tional stage in which the crisis is apparent and uncertain subject sample. We could to the individual and he or she is struggling not predict how many ex-cult members to deal with it. In this way moratorium is would come forth nor would we be able to control or precisely evaluate what popula­ 5 Erik H. Erikson, Identity: YouthandCrisis. New tion our sample could be said to represent. York: W.W. Norton and Company, 1966. 6 James E. Marcia "Development and Validation 7 A. Lijhart, "Comparative Politics and the Com­ of Ego Identity Status," Journal of Personality and parative Method," American Political Science Review, Social Psychology, 3 (1966); 551-58. 3(1971).

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The scientific status of the case study to focus on this critical period (Tv) and method is somewhat ambiguous since then had them contrast it with their time in science is a generalizing activity. However, cult (Tc), and the present (Tp). We used the case studies can make important contri­ identity status interview designed by butions to the establishment of general Marcia9 to assess identity status for these propositions and thus to theory building.8 three time periods. We also asked detailed Thus we undertook what could be con­ questions about earlier life history including sidered an hypothesis generating case study relationship with parents, school experi­ of former cult members. ences, and peer relationships. Subjects and Design Overview of the Cases Studied We solicited interviews from ex-cult The seven cases of cult involvement we members of Jewish origin through the use have studied consist of one female and six of newspaper ads and public speaking, as male ex-members. Four of the six males well as the informal network of individuals were members of the Unification Church, and agencies working with clients having one was in Scientology, and the other was a cult related concerns. Our goal was to member of (a lesser known interview 20 Jewish ex-cult members, 10 religious cult involved in grass roots political non-Jewish ex-cult members, and a control change). The female ex-member had be­ group of 10 Jewish non-cult members. longed to Synanon (a drug treatment group Through the use of this design we can which became cult like). The length of stay compare the two Jewish groups in order to in these groups varied from 1 month to examine the factors that pre-disposed ex- several years. Two of the Unification Church members to join. In this comparison, reli­ members were deprogrammed while re­ gion is held constant and we can compare maining interviewees left the cult on their other life experiences between these reli­ own. Following is a brief description of giously homogeneous groups. By including each of the seven cases of cult involvement the latter group of non-Jewish ex-cult we studied. members we sought to increase our knowl­ Interviewee A was our only female mem­ edge of ex-cult members in general and to ber. This woman is in her mid-forties and be able to compare the pre-disposing factors quite different from our interviewees in of Jewish vs. non-Jewish youth. several respects. She joined Synanon while The information we are presenting in in her 30's. She was seeking treatment for a this paper represents our research in minor addiction problem as well as re­ progress. To date we have interviewed 7 sponding to a delusional desire to maintain Jewish ex-cult members and it is the inter­ contact with a show business celebrity. She view information from these people which agreed to be interviewed for the project follows. when asked by her current therapist who knew of our research on cults. Therefore, Research Instrument unlike the others we interviewed, she did A semi-structured interview instrument not define herself as a former cult member was designed for use in this study. Each or contact us around cult concerns. As is interview lasted approximately 2 hours. indicated below, her functioning in all the While our interview touched on many life stage areas was identity diffused and areas of the individual's life history our thus, reflective of her overall borderline major focus was on understanding vul­ functioning. nerability. Thus we asked ex-cult members Interviewees B through E were all mem-

» Ibid. 9 Marcia, 1966, op. cit.

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bers of the Unification Church recruited in statuses are represented in Tables 1,2, and the Berkeley/ San Francisco area in a similar 3. We then reviewed the statuses in each manner in the mid-seventies. area and assessed overall identity status. In Interviewee B is a young man in his mid- the majority of cases the interview responses twenties who became involved with the to each area reflected the same status and Unification Church following his sophomore thus, their overall status was easy to assign. year in college. He was involved with the When there were differences among the Unification Church for a period of two areas, a qualitative judgment was made as months. He characterizes his involvement to which area was most representative of as atypical as he never moved in with the their functioning. The overall identity group and seemed to come and go as he statuses are presented in Table 4. pleased. In all areas of identity status we found Interviewee C is a young man in his mid- support for the hypothesis that the pre-cult twenties who was involved with the Unifi­ identity statuses of our interviewees would cation Church for one month in 1975. He be primarily moratorium or identity dif­ had completed his freshman year of college fused. We found no evidence of pre-cult and decided to take a year off to travel. identity achievement in any areas of inquiry. Interviewee D is presently in his mid- twenties, and he joined the Unification Occupational Goals Church while living in Berkeley following In the areas of occupational goals, three his graduation from college. He was a of our seven interviewees were identity member of the group for 2Vi years at which diffused, three were moratorium and one time his parents invited him home and had was foreclosed. The foreclosed interviewee him deprogrammed. (F) had begun college with the predeter­ Interviewee E is in his late twenties. He mined idea of being an engineer like his was a member of the Unification Church father. He suffered failure and was placed for sixteen months. His mother was granted on academic probation. He then continued a conservatorship and subsequently had to do poorly, and was asked to leave him deprogrammed. school. At this point he took courses at a Interviewee F is presently in his early junior college and did well. This was twenties. He was in Scientology for approxi­ considered by his university to be evidence mately 1 year. His first contact with of his ability to achieve and he re-entered Scientology was while he was in college. He the university once again. However, once joined subsequent to leaving college in his again he failed and was asked to leave. This sophomore year following a series of young man's story is unique among our academic failures. interviewees as he never indicates any Interviewee G is presently in his mid- doubts about his goal of being an engineer. twenties. He was a member of Ananda He clearly indicates commitment in Marga throughout his college years. He Marcia's and Erikson's terms. There is no describes leaving the group as a two-year­ evidence of a crisis in terms of wanting the long process which he has only recently goal. For him the crisis he experienced was completed. in his difficulty obtaining that goal. Interviewee D presents a good example Identity Status of Former Cult Members of how our interviewees experienced a As described above we assessed the iden­ moratorium status in terms of occupational tity statuses of our interviewees in three goals. This young man had graduated from areas: occupational goals, religion, and college without having made a commitment politics for the three time periods. These to an occupational choice. He talks about

315 JOURNAL OF JEWISH COMMUNAL SERVICE the decision to go to college as a non- resulting 2'/$-year-long involvement was decision (i.e. an expectation). His goals ended by a deprogramming. Interestingly, were vague: "I knew I was good in science, interviewee B who was also in moratorium physics; didn't like chemistry or biology. If prior to his recruitment, was involved with I had taken geology I might have wanted the Unification Church briefly and then left that." He finished college in August and to take a course at the Living Love Center. then hitchhiked to Boulder to visit a Tibetan Interviewee E was identity diffused prior Monastery. While there he heard about the to his recruitment. He, too, graduated from Living Love Center in California which he college without making an occupational describes as a "consciousness growth place." commitment. He presents a more dis­ This was attractive to him so he signed up organized sense of self than Interviewee D for one of their courses. He attended a 25 and while describing a search for meaning, day seminar and while he initially con­ the search seems to have been stimulated sidered staying on and getting more involved more by internal needs than by a sense of he decided to "take with me what I had meaning to make a commitment to the learned and go to San Francisco and get a external world. He reports having felt job." It is clear that he was "shopping "disenfranchised from the whole world" around" for a lifestyle and commitment immediately prior to the meeting with the which is characteristic of a moratorium Unification Church. He became involved status. Ten days after this he became immediately and remained a member until involved with the Unification Church. His his deprogramming 17 months later.

Occupational Identity Status

Interviewee Pre(Tv) Cult (Tc) Post (Tp) A Identity diffused Identity diffused Identity diffused B Moratorium Moratorium Moratorium C Identity diffused Identity diffused Moratorium D Moratorium Moratorium Moratorium E Identity diffused Foreclosed to Foreclosed to Cult#l Cult #2 F Foreclosed Foreclosed Foreclosed G Moratorium Moratorium- Identity achieved Identity achieved

Table 1. Identity statuses of interviewees: occupational goals.

Religion As indicated in Table 2, three of the the moratorium status. He clearly describes interviewees were in a state of moratorium his positive feelings towards . He in reference to their religion. These inter­ felt that being Jewish was "something viewees all expressed some doubts (crisis) special," and speaks fondly about his about how to integrate Judaism as presented as "a warm and wonderful man." Yet, he to them by their families with other spiritual talks about feeling disillusioned with and philosophical concerns. In all cases Judaism and needing to satisfy his spiritual there is a sense of active struggle. feelings outside of Judaism in the years Interviewee D's description of his rela­ immediately preceeding joining the Unifi­ tionship to religion is a good example of cation Church. He began to read extensively

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about Buddhism. It was Interviewee D who sense of an active struggle to integrate was so actively searching for a lifestyle and religious feelings into his sense of self. thus unable to make a commitment to an The two interviewees whose religious occupational goal. Interestingly, although identity was diffused indicate a dismissal of Interviewee D was in the Unification Church Judaism. This dismissal was not an angry for 2Vi years we assessed his in-cult religious or an active one. It was more of a case of identity status as moratorium. He attended not seeing the role for religion in their lives the Unification Church's seminary and, at that time. The two interviewees who thus, was engaged in the active under­ demonstrated a foreclosed status in rela­ standing of the Divine Principle. He tionship to Judaism indicate having related acknowledges gaining increased pride in to their religion as did their parents without his Judaism while in the Unification Church. having questioned those beliefs. Interviewee He learned that he was one of "God's C says of himself prior to recruitment "I people" and was proud of being of Jacob's didn't come to doubt. I was myself—a lineage. Throughout all of this there is a Jewish youth."

Religious Identity Status

Interviewee Pre (Tv) Cult (Tc) Post (Tp) A Identity diffused Identity diffused Identity diffused B Moratorium Moratorium Identity diffused C Foreclosed Foreclosed Foreclosed D Moratorium Moratorium Moratorium— Identity diffused Identity diffused Foreclosed to Foreclosed to Cult #1 Cult #2 F Foreclosed Foreclosed Foreclosed G Moratorium Moratorium Moratorium

Table 2. Identity statuses of interviewees', religious beliefs.

Politics

In assessing the identity status of our and thus actively engaged in a crisis in­ interviewees' politically, we found that, in volving political questions. Not surprisingly, general, there was little strong political this interviewee (G) was involved in a grass commitment and/or crisis. Thus four of roots politically oriented cult. our seven interviewees are labeled identity These findings may be support for the diffused. This assessment comes about in notion that the youth of the 70's are the "me part by the vagueness with which they generation." For them religion and/or a responded to questions of politics. This is, personal philosophy were more salient in perhaps, an indication of the times during their lives than politics. As mentioned which they were forming their identity. above, even in the occupational category, Unlike all other categories, we find only we find the moratorium interviewees de­ one interviewee in a state of moratorium fining their goals in terms of a self search.

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Political Identity Status

Interviewee Pre (Tv) Post (Tp) A Identity diffused Identity diffused B Identity diffused Identity achieved C Identity diffused Moratorium D Identity diffused Identity diffused E Identity diffused Moratorium F Foreclosed Foreclosed G Moratorium Identity achieved

Table 3. Identity statuses of interviewees: politics.

Overall Identity Status

Table 4 portrays the overall identity are vulnerable to cult recruitment. Although statuses of our interviewees and is con­ we may speculate that a sample of youth sistent with the information presented recruited by cults would reveal a dispro­ above. Our interviewees are evenly divided portionate percentage of those identity between the categories of identity diffusion statuses, we have not yet tested this notion. and moratorium with the exception of We are in the process of locating a control Interviewee F who was foreclosed across group with which to compare our former all categories. Thus our examination of members. Previous research, however, indi­ identity status supports our assumption cates that whereas most males begin as that the depression and/or transition diffusions or foreclosures, the greatest experienced by many cult members prior to change in identity status occurs between their recruitment may result from the man­ the ages of 18 and 21.10 Thus our inter­ ner in which they handled the late adolescent viewees were entering the cult at the ages life task of identity formation. during which identity status has been found Our investigation supports the notion to be the most fluid. that identity diffused and moratorium youth

Overall Identity Status

Interviewee Cult Pre (Tv) Cult (Tc) Post (Tp) A Synanon Identity diffused Identity diffused Identity diffused B Unification Moratorium Moratorium Moratorium Church Unification Identity diffused Moratorium Moratorium Church D Unification Moratorium Identity achieved Moratorium Church in cult(?) Unification Identity diffused Foreclosed to Foreclosed to Church Cult #1 Cult #2 F Scientology Foreclosed Foreclosed Foreclosed G Ananda Marga Moratorium Moratorium Identity achieved

Table 4. Overall identity statuses of interviewees.

10 Marcia, 1980, op. cit.

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In Table 4 we have listed the identity seminary in Barrytown, New York prior to statuses of our interviewees during their his deprogramming. Although it is difficult cult involvement. Cults, in general, require to view him as truly identity-achieved, the total unquestioning commitment to their freedom he experienced as a Moonie makes principles and leader. From what is known it feasible to view his commitment as a about cult life, we expected that the more informed and self-made one. description of identity status within cult Once again, these results differ from our would uniformly reflect a foreclosed status. expectation that we would find in-cult Also, we expected that these descriptions foreclosure among cult members. We see would indicate influences of the cult rather this as evidence of the relative high than family of origin on the foreclosed functioning of the ex-members we at­ status. Surprisingly, the results did not tracted." We attribute this sample bias to support our assumptions about in-cult several factors. By attracting a self-selected foreclosure. Interviewee A remained iden­ sample, we increased the chances of inter­ tity diffused throughout her involvement viewing relatively healthy young people with Synanon, lacking in commitment but who felt sufficient comfort about their cult not questioning or searching in a unified experience to be interviewed at a Jewish manner. Interviewees B, C, and G re­ agency. This health is also reflected by the mained in moratorium throughout their brief length of time during which several of involvement. B and C were involved with our interviewees were involved with the the Unification Church for relatively brief cult. periods of time while G was involved with Our assessment of post-cult identity status shaping the ideals and principles of his indicates again the higher than expected group. Interviewees E and F demonstrated level of functioning of our small group of the foreclosed status we had predicted. F former cult members. With the exception viewed his involvement in Scientology as of Interviewee A, none of the former cult yet another means to his original foreclosed members demonstrated identity diffusion goals. His questions about the group arose in his current functioning. Interviewee G only in terms of whether the philosophy appears to be identity-achieved presently. would be effective in terms of his personal His functioning across all time periods was life goals. E, on the other hand, joined the quite high. He joined his group at the start Unification Church and remained an un­ of college and managed to remain intensely questioning member until his depro­ involved with it while successfully com­ gramming. Interviewee D also remained a pleting college. Interviewees B, C, and D, Moonie until he was deprogrammed. How­ all former Moonies, remain or are once ever, we found it more difficult to label his again in a state of moratorium. Their in-cult status as clearly foreclosed. He moratorium status has been protracted, to moved up in the leadership of the Unifi­ be sure, but the sense of crisis continues cation Church and was attending their and striving for commitment remains. Therefore, we felt they remained in a state 11 J.G. Clark points out that those who succumb to of moratorium, not identity diffused. cults seem to be divided into two distinct groups. The Interviewee D, who has been deprogram­ first is composed of chronic schizophrenics and med several months prior to his interview, borderline personalities. The second appear to be describes his immediate plans in almost the normal, young people. It is clear that our sample same words as he described his plans prior pulled heavily from the second group. "The Effects of to his recruitment by the Unification Religious Cults on the Health and Welfare of Their Church. The intervening Vh years had Converts," Proceedings and Debates of the 95th done little to promote his growth. Congress, 1977.

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Interviewee F continues to be foreclosed. G) time in the cult was clearly an extended He never expressed a sense of questioning moratorium. The issues of identity develop­ or search for an identity of his own. ment were temporarily suspended. It is as if Interviewee E seems to have resolved his the time in cult represented a tangent from earlier diffused state by being involved the process of identity formation. For again in a highly structured cult-like group. others (B and C) affiliating with the cult It was difficult to assess, his role in finding was a brief experimental identification and adapting this new group. Thus we view during a moratorium. One interviewee (F) his current functioning as a second in-cult remained foreclosed, but used the cult as an foreclosure. He has certainly made a com­ attempt to achieve his foreclosed goal. Two mitment to this group but it was not clear others (A and E) use the cult as an attempt whether he had struggled to make that to resolve identity diffusion. commitment or adopted it readily as he had with the Moonies. Hypotheses Supported and Hypotheses Generated Once again, it would be useful if we could compare the post-cult identity statuses We began this project in order to under­ of our interviewees with a matched group stand vulnerability to cult recruitment. of young adults who had not been involved Pulling from both the extant literature as with cults. Only one of our seven ex- well as our developmental perspective on members was identity-achieved at the time identity formation, we tested the hypothesis of his interview. Marcia12 offers the fol­ that the pre-cult identity statuses of cult lowing as a summary of the developmental members would be identity diffused or aspects of identity formation, "Identity moratorium. Our results offer support for increases from early adolescence (age 12) this hypothesis. until late adolescence (18 to 21); at the Further hypotheses to be tested resulted earlier ages one may expect a predominance from the examination of post-cult identity of temporary foreclosures and diffusions, statuses which indicated a protracted state many of whom will begin crossing over into of moratorium or identity diffusion. When the moratorium and achievement statuses we focus on the interviewees whose cult around age 18. By age 21, the highest involvement was brief, it seems that the cult proportion of individuals will be identity- did not arrest identity development. For achievement." Using this as a norm with those who were involved for longer periods which to compare our group of male of time it seems that cult involvement did interviewees, whose average age was 24, we arrest their development. Is the arrested find their development somewhat arrested. development indicated by this latter group This finding of arrested identity develop­ a result of cult involvement or would their ment prompted us to re-examine each identity statuses of moratorium and identity interviewee's identity development across diffusion have been otherwise protracted? the three time periods. For some, (D and This hypothesis awaits testing in subsequent research with a larger more representative

12 Marcia, 1980, op. cit. sample of cult members.

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