ex-shep
06-15-2008, 09:49 AM
Question #14 is key to the purpose of this questionnaire—namely, to help the ICSA’s Religion Committee determine the need of the proposed program to establish trained congregational centers to assist ex-members in the recovery process. This question reads, “If assistance at a mainstream religious organization, such as a church/synagogue, had been available to ex-member when he/she left the group, how likely would he/she have been to take advantage of it?”
Sixty-nine respondents (39%) indicated “likely” or “very likely”; 59 (33%) chose “very unlikely” or “unlikely”; and 51 (28.5%) selected “uncertain.”
Among those who didn’t seek help from a religious organization in the past, 46 people (45.1%) responded as unlikely or very unlikely to have taken advantage of such help even if it had been available. However, the data tell us that a significant group of former cult members would have wished to benefit from the services we are envisioning. Twenty-eight people (27.4%) who didn’t seek help in the past would have done so if help had been available, while 28 (27.5%) remain uncertain.
More interestingly, among those who sought help in the past, only 41 (53.3%) were reported as likely or very likely to have taken advantage of these services. According to the survey results, 13 people (16.9%) who sought help in the past would not be likely to seek the help described in the question, while 23 people (29.9%) remained uncertain. We would have expected to see that those people who previously sought help from a religious organization would have rated as likely or very likely the probability of their taking advantage of the services if available.
A possible explanation is that the experience of some of this group was not all positive when they sought help from religious organizations. From the 13 people who responded as unlikely or very unlikely to take advantage of these services, 7 (53.8%) rated the past consultation as “not at all helpful” and 2 (15.4%) as “somewhat helpful.” From the 23 people who were uncertain about using such services if available, 8 (34.8%) rated the past consultation as “not at all helpful” and 13 (56.5%) as “somewhat helpful.
In reading through the comments of the 13 persons who wouldn’t seek help and the 23 who were uncertain about whether they would seek such services at a congregation, I was painfully reminded of how often clergy and congregations are ill-prepared to understand and effectively respond to ex-members. These responses indicate how significant a training process would be in this project, to adequately prepare local clergy and church members to effectively help ex-members, at minimum by knowing where to refer them.
In response to the question “Who needed the help?” 155 (82%) said the respondent himself/herself.
Participants were asked to rate the degree to which the ex-member or others who left the group with the ex-member needed each of the 19 services listed when they left. Means and standard deviations of the responses indicated the greatest needs were “Specialist on Cults,” “Information on Cults,” “Support Group,” “Therapist,” and “Spiritual Guidance.” Other needs identified were “Housing,” “Financial Guidance,” and “Educational Guidance.” Lowest on the priority list of desired services were “Child Care,” “Paperwork” services, “Transportation,” “Clothing,” and “$ Incidentals.”
I am extremely grateful for the collaboration and the specific recommendations of Dr. Carmen Almendros, many of which appear in this summary report.
ICSA
P.O. Box 2265
Bonita Springs, FL 34133
239-514-3081
mail@icsamail.com
www.icsahome.com
Sixty-nine respondents (39%) indicated “likely” or “very likely”; 59 (33%) chose “very unlikely” or “unlikely”; and 51 (28.5%) selected “uncertain.”
Among those who didn’t seek help from a religious organization in the past, 46 people (45.1%) responded as unlikely or very unlikely to have taken advantage of such help even if it had been available. However, the data tell us that a significant group of former cult members would have wished to benefit from the services we are envisioning. Twenty-eight people (27.4%) who didn’t seek help in the past would have done so if help had been available, while 28 (27.5%) remain uncertain.
More interestingly, among those who sought help in the past, only 41 (53.3%) were reported as likely or very likely to have taken advantage of these services. According to the survey results, 13 people (16.9%) who sought help in the past would not be likely to seek the help described in the question, while 23 people (29.9%) remained uncertain. We would have expected to see that those people who previously sought help from a religious organization would have rated as likely or very likely the probability of their taking advantage of the services if available.
A possible explanation is that the experience of some of this group was not all positive when they sought help from religious organizations. From the 13 people who responded as unlikely or very unlikely to take advantage of these services, 7 (53.8%) rated the past consultation as “not at all helpful” and 2 (15.4%) as “somewhat helpful.” From the 23 people who were uncertain about using such services if available, 8 (34.8%) rated the past consultation as “not at all helpful” and 13 (56.5%) as “somewhat helpful.
In reading through the comments of the 13 persons who wouldn’t seek help and the 23 who were uncertain about whether they would seek such services at a congregation, I was painfully reminded of how often clergy and congregations are ill-prepared to understand and effectively respond to ex-members. These responses indicate how significant a training process would be in this project, to adequately prepare local clergy and church members to effectively help ex-members, at minimum by knowing where to refer them.
In response to the question “Who needed the help?” 155 (82%) said the respondent himself/herself.
Participants were asked to rate the degree to which the ex-member or others who left the group with the ex-member needed each of the 19 services listed when they left. Means and standard deviations of the responses indicated the greatest needs were “Specialist on Cults,” “Information on Cults,” “Support Group,” “Therapist,” and “Spiritual Guidance.” Other needs identified were “Housing,” “Financial Guidance,” and “Educational Guidance.” Lowest on the priority list of desired services were “Child Care,” “Paperwork” services, “Transportation,” “Clothing,” and “$ Incidentals.”
I am extremely grateful for the collaboration and the specific recommendations of Dr. Carmen Almendros, many of which appear in this summary report.
ICSA
P.O. Box 2265
Bonita Springs, FL 34133
239-514-3081
mail@icsamail.com
www.icsahome.com