A Clinical and Forensic Guide to Cults and Persuasive Leadership

Author: Tyler Durns, Charles Scott, Paul Whitehead and Barbara E. McDermott

Paperback

The first and only book to review the theoretical, clinical, and forensic issues pertaining to cults and persuasive leadership.

This book reviews the theoretical, clinical, and forensic issues pertaining to cult leaders, followers, and those who encounter them. It will appeal to psychiatrists, psychologists, mental health professionals, criminal investigators, attorneys, and academics, and those with educational interest in cults and similar organizational frameworks.

Pre order release date
3rd July 2025

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Pre order release date
3rd July 2025

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Paperback

PRODUCT INFORMATION

Summary

The first and only book to review the theoretical, clinical, and forensic issues pertaining to cults and persuasive leadership.

Description

Cults have captivated public imagination, gained visibility in the media, and become a popular topic of discourse. While anecdotal and journalistic accounts offer compelling insights, systematic study on the structure, psychological predispositions, and relevance to clinical and legal settings are comparatively scarce. This disparity highlights a crucial need for rigorous scholarly inquiry, moving beyond media portrayals to uncover the foundational mechanisms that sustain and shape these enigmatic groups. Authored by experts in forensic psychiatry and psychology, this book consolidates the extant literature in reviewing the theoretical, sociocultural, clinical, and forensic issues surrounding cultist groups. This text applies evidence-based study to identify group subtypes and explore mediators and moderators that may be relevant in clinical and legal contexts. Authors address issues as they relate to a variety of subpopulations, comorbid mental disorders, mind-altering substances, treatment, and the and legal implications inherent to cults and persuasive leadership. This book may be especially pertinent to mental health professionals and those working in the criminal justice system.

About the Author

Tyler Durns, MD is Professor and Forensic Psychiatrist at the University of Utah Huntsman Mental Health Institute and Program Director of its Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship. Charles Scott, MD is Professor and Forensic Psychiatrist at the University of California, Davis, and Chief of its Psychiatry and the Law Division. Paul Whitehead, MD is Adjunct Professor and Forensic Psychiatrist at the University of Utah and Clinical Director at Utah State Hospital. Barbara McDermott, PhD is Professor and Forensic Psychologist at the University of California, Davis, and Research Director at the California Department of State Hospitals.