New Research Shows How Forgiveness Shapes Mental Health After Leaving High-Demand Religious Groups
A new academic study from Case Western Reserve University takes a close and careful look at what happens psychologically when people leave high-demand religious communities, and the role forgiveness may play in their mental health and long-term recovery. Published in 2025 in The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, the research focuses on individuals who exited ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities, though its implications extend far beyond this single group.
The study explores a difficult but important question: after experiencing spiritual, social, and psychological harm, does forgiveness help people heal, or can it sometimes complicate recovery? The findings suggest that forgiveness can be helpful—but only in specific forms and under certain conditions.
Understanding the Study and Its Scope
The research team analyzed survey responses from 293 adults who had formally left ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities. These participants had undergone a process known as religious deidentification, meaning they no longer identified with or participated in their former faith communities.
The study was co-authored by Yehudis Keller, a clinical psychology Ph.D. student at Case Western Reserve University who herself grew up in an ultra-Orthodox environment, and Julie Exline, research director of the Division of Perceptual Studies at the University of Virginia and a former Case Western Reserve professor. Their combined academic and lived-experience perspectives shaped the study’s careful and non-judgmental approach.
Researchers examined several types of forgiveness, including:
- Forgiveness of former community members
- Forgiveness of the community as a whole
- Self-forgiveness
- Forgiveness directed toward God
Each of these was then compared against a range of mental health outcomes, including psychological distress, emotional well-being, and indicators of resilience.
High Levels of Harm Reported by Participants
One of the most striking aspects of the study is the scale and severity of harm reported by participants.
Nearly 40% of respondents said they had experienced or witnessed verbal, physical, or sexual abuse within their former communities. Another 27% reported being expelled from schools, rejected by family members, or socially ostracized for failing to conform to strict religious expectations.
An additional 20% described enduring oppressive power dynamics, including public humiliation and disciplinary practices over seemingly minor infractions. Examples included being shamed for an unapproved haircut, questioning authority, or deviating slightly from prescribed norms of behavior.
These experiences were not isolated incidents. Many participants described a pattern of systemic control, where social belonging, education, family ties, and spiritual worth were tightly linked to compliance.
Forgiveness and Mental Health Outcomes
Using validated psychological assessment scales, the researchers analyzed how different forms of forgiveness related to mental health.
The results showed that forgiving former community members or the community itself was consistently linked to better mental health outcomes. Participants who reported higher levels of forgiveness in these areas tended to experience:
- Lower levels of anxiety and depression
- Reduced psychological distress
- Greater emotional stability
- Improved overall well-being
Self-forgiveness also emerged as an important factor. Those who were able to forgive themselves for past decisions, perceived failures, or delayed departures from their communities showed stronger signs of emotional recovery.
However, the findings were more complex when it came to forgiving God. In this case, results were described as mixed. For some participants, forgiving God was associated with relief and emotional peace. For others, it appeared to reopen unresolved spiritual wounds or deepen feelings of betrayal and confusion. This suggests that spiritual forgiveness may not function the same way as interpersonal forgiveness, especially for individuals whose trauma is closely tied to religious belief itself.
Signs of Post-Traumatic Growth
Despite the significant distress reported by many participants, the study also identified evidence of post-traumatic growth. This term refers to positive psychological changes that can emerge after enduring profound adversity.
Participants described developing:
- Stronger personal identities
- Greater independence and self-direction
- Increased emotional insight
- A deeper sense of empathy and resilience
The researchers were careful to clarify that trauma itself is not beneficial. Rather, growth can sometimes occur alongside pain, not because of it. Keller described these changes as “small sprouts of growth” that can appear even in the most difficult circumstances.
Why High-Demand Religious Groups Are Psychologically Complex
High-demand religious groups often provide intense community cohesion, shared identity, and moral clarity. At the same time, leaving such groups can involve the loss of:
- Family relationships
- Social networks
- Educational pathways
- Cultural familiarity
- A shared sense of meaning
For many former members, departure means rebuilding identity from the ground up. The study highlights how forgiveness—when chosen freely rather than pressured—may help some individuals release lingering anger and reclaim personal agency.
Importantly, the researchers emphasize that forgiveness is not an obligation and should not be treated as a moral requirement for healing. For some, anger and grief remain necessary and valid emotional responses.
Broader Implications Beyond One Community
Although the study focuses on ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities, its conclusions are relevant to people leaving other high-demand religious or ideological systems, including fundamentalist Christian groups, insular spiritual movements, and tightly controlled faith-based communities worldwide.
The findings contribute to a growing body of research examining spiritual harm, religious trauma, and the long-term mental health effects of leaving closed belief systems. A companion paper by the same research team, currently under peer review, explores these broader patterns in greater detail.
Together, this research helps clarify what it means to lose not only a belief system, but also an entire social world, and how individuals navigate that loss over time.
Why This Research Matters
This study stands out because it avoids oversimplifying forgiveness as either good or bad. Instead, it presents forgiveness as a deeply personal process that can support healing for some people while being unhelpful or even harmful for others.
By grounding its conclusions in detailed psychological data and lived experience, the research provides valuable insight for:
- Mental health professionals
- Religious trauma counselors
- Former members of high-demand groups
- Scholars of religion and psychology
Most importantly, it gives voice to individuals whose experiences are often overlooked or misunderstood.
Research Reference
Keller, Y., Exline, J. J., et al. (2025). Forgiving Hurts from Religious Communities: Forgiveness of Self and Others, Anger toward God, and Psychological Adjustment after Deidentification from Ultra-Orthodox Judaism. The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion.
https://doi.org/10.1080/10508619.2025.2567727
