It is well documented that religiosity is linked with positive indicators of well-being, but less research has examined the psychosocial impacts of leaving “high-control” religions. Theoretically situated in recovery and desistance literature underpinned by the social identity approach, the current study examined cross-sectionally the extent to which ‘disfellowshipped’ former Jehovah’s Witnesses’ experiences of ostracism and post-exit identification with others are associated with diminished psychological well-being and identity transition success. It also examined the extent to which the type of exit (forced vs. voluntary) and prior religious commitment shaped these outcomes. The authors recruited 554 adults (62% female; M age = 37.26, SD age = 12.82) via online social support networks for former Jehovah’s Witnesses. Path analysis tested the mediating and moderating functions of exit method (forced vs. voluntary), commitment level during membership, and post-exit group identification with groups on outcomes of identity transition, recovery identity, self-esteem, and well-being. Results indicate that individuals who voluntarily left the Jehovah’s Witnesses reported more ostracism than those who were disfellowshipped (forced out) and that a higher level of prior religious commitment was associated with post-religious identity transition success and diminished self-esteem. Findings further suggest that distinct aspects of respondents’ social identity were related differentially to outcomes in partial support of the theoretical framework. Future research and theory development efforts are deemed necessary to better understand the etiology of how exiting high-control religions impacts psychosocial outcomes.

中文翻译：

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社会死亡后的生活：离开耶和华见证人，身份转换和恢复

有充分证据表明，宗教信仰与幸福感的积极指标有关，但很少有研究考察离开“高度控制”的宗教对社会心理的影响。从理论上讲，在以社会认同方法为基础的康复和停止文学中，当前的研究横断面研究了“开除”前耶和华见证人的排斥经历和退出后与他人认同的程度与心理健康下降的相关性和身份转换成功。它还研究了退出类型（被迫与自愿）和先前的宗教承诺在多大程度上影响了这些结果。作者通过在线社会支持网络为前耶和华见证人招募了 554 名成年人（62% 为女性；M 年龄 = 37.26，SD 年龄 = 12.82）。路径分析测试了退出方法（强迫与自愿）、成员期间的承诺水平以及退出后群体认同对身份转换、恢复身份、自尊和幸福的结果的中介和调节功能。结果表明，自愿离开耶和华见证会的人比被开除（被迫离开）的人报告的受排斥程度更高，并且更高水平的先前宗教承诺与宗教身份转换成功和自尊降低有关。调查结果进一步表明，受访者社会认同的不同方面与部分支持理论框架的结果存在差异。