Table 1.
Descriptive data of the samples of victims and non-victims
| Total sample | Victims | Non-victims | Comparisons |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Statistics | Effect size | ||||
| Sex | |||||
| Men | 31.5% | 31.9% | 30.8% | χ2 = 6.85 | V = .09 |
| Women | 67.1% | 65.9% | 69.2% | ||
| Other | 1.4% | 2.2% | 0% | ||
| Age | |||||
| Mean (SD) | 49.5 (15.8) | 47.1 (14.5) | 53.7 (17) | t = 5.64 | d = .43 |
| Educational level | |||||
| Primary education | 7% | 7.2% | 6.5% | χ2 = 2.80 | V = .06 |
| Secondary education | 22.6% | 20.7% | 25.9% | ||
| University | 70.4% | 72% | 67.7% | ||
| Job status | |||||
| Student | 5.6% | 6.8% | 3.4% | χ2 = 71.15 | V = .30 |
| Unemployed | 12.8% | 11.7% | 14.6% | ||
| Full time work | 41.1% | 48.1% | 29.3% | ||
| Part time work | 16.1% | 18.1% | 12.6% | ||
| Pensioner | 24.5% | 15.3% | 40.1% | ||
| Age joining the group | |||||
| Mean (SD) | 19 (16.4) | 13.9 (13.8) | 27.8 (16.8) | t = 12.03 | d = .93 |
| Years inside the group | |||||
| Mean (SD) | 14.8 (12.5) | 17.3 (12.5) | 10.6 (11.3) | t = −7.79 | d = −.55 |
| Years outside the group | |||||
| Mean (SD) | 15.7 (13.5) | 15.9 (12.9) | 15.4 (14.5) | t = −.49 | d = −.03 |
| Group nature | |||||
| Religious | 61.3% | 77% | 34.9% | χ2 = 138.18 | V = .42 |
| Non-religious | 38.7% | 33% | 65.1% | ||
| Method of leaving | |||||
| Personal reflection | 56.9% | 63.9% | 45.1% | χ2 = 101.14 | V = .36 |
| Counselled | 7.2% | 9.8% | 2.7% | ||
| Expelled/Dissolution | 21.4% | 20.8% | 22.4% | ||
| Other (e.g. life change) | 14.5% | 5.4% | 29.8% | ||
| Group psychological abuse | |||||
| Mean (SD) | 62.7 (45.9) | 95 (21.9) | 8.2 (11.1) | t = −73.85 | d = −4.65 |
Total sample n = 794. Victims: n = 499. Non-victims: n = 295. χ2 = Pearson chi-square test. V = Cramer’s V. t = Student’s t test. d = Cohen’s d. All chi-square tests and t tests were significant at p < .05, except in ‘educational level’ (p = .24) and ‘years outside the group’ (p = .62). Group psychological abuse = measured through the Psychological Abuse Experienced in Groups Scale.