The Influence of Cultic or High-Control Group Involvement on Adult Attachment and Identity

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dc.contributor.authorBoyd, Stephen
dc.date.accessioned2025-11-15T00:57:09Z
dc.date.available2025-11-15T00:57:09Z
dc.date.issued2025-11-10
dc.description.abstractThis project examines how cultic and high-control religious environments impact the attachment systems of their members using attachment theory, constructivist, and trauma-informed frameworks. The literature identifies the themes of attachment disruption, identity fragmentation, relational dysregulation, sexual exploitation, and spiritual injury, highlighting survivors' experiences with shame, intimacy difficulties, mistrust, and struggles with meaning-making from their experience in coercive environments. Empathy, validation, autonomy, and empowerment within therapeutic relationships, along with community-based support and education, are important aspects of survivors' repair and healing processes. Future research on cults should prioritize definitional clarity, the development of standardized methodologies, the exploration of the impact of cults on individuals across diverse contexts, and the identification of evidence-based therapeutic interventions.
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11803/5017
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisher.institutionCity University of Seattle (CityU)
dc.subjectcults
dc.subjecthigh-control religious environments
dc.subjectnew religious movements
dc.subjectreligious & spiritual abuse
dc.subjectattachement injury
dc.titleThe Influence of Cultic or High-Control Group Involvement on Adult Attachment and Identity
dc.typeCapstone
thesis.degree.disciplineCounselling
thesis.degree.grantorCity University of Seattle (CityU)
thesis.degree.levelMasters
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Counselling
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