Do Prior Religious Beliefs Play A Role in Cult Susceptibility?:A Descriptive Study

This study aims to understand the role of prior religious beliefs to cult susceptibility—specifically, joining and remaining in a cult. Former cult members (N=115) of a variety of groups were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. Unexpectedly, 52 (45.2%) participants identified as second-generation adults (SGAs) or multi-generational adults (MGAs) who were born into and/or raised in cultic groups and were omitted from analysis. Of the remaining 63 participants, 53 (84.1%) endorsed religious participation before they joined a cult. Additionally, of this 53, about half joined a cult that was related to their religion of origin (Christianity) and typically joined four years younger and stayed five years longer than those who joined a cult of a different religion. Women were more likely than men to explore and join cults with different beliefs as their prior religion. These findings suggest there is a relationship between prior religious beliefs and cult affiliation that warrants further exploration.