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Extreme structure and prescribed peer groups can attract people with autism to high-control churches.

Once there, many report mental exhaustion, excess shame, and feeling overwhelmed by imposed social activities.

More thorough research is needed to understand risk.

This post was authored with input from my wife, Kari Puchovich.

High-control churches receive a lot of attention these days. Not so much from the mainstream news media, although there are exceptions. Instead, public interest is expressed in the popularity of documentaries and top-selling books—something Forbes calls “the cult content boom.” Amazon, HBO, Hulu, Max, Netflix, and Paramount are all in the game.

What Is a High-Control Church?

Many people equate high-control churches with cults, but the former term is newer, having emerged from the sociological and religious studies literatures in part because the word cult can be offensive. In the press, cults are often linked to tragic outcomes, such as those suffered at Jonestown, and by the Branch Davidians and Heaven’s Gate.

High-control churches, by contrast, encompass a much broader swath of religious organizations found in many of our communities. The University of Southern California Office of Religious and Spiritual Life lists a number of characteristics of high-pressure religious groups, a concept synonymous with high-control churches. These characteristics include:

exclusive beliefs—a singular understanding of God and the road to salvation

authoritarian leadership—an unfailing, usually charismatic leader who cannot be questioned without punishment

isolation and alienation—new friends are chosen for members while ties with old friends are severed

high commitment and exploitation—most of members’ time and much of their money go to the church

fear tactics—threats of retribution from God for those who leave the church

manipulative recruitment—new members are often recruited through deceptive means

pressure and deception—friendship, gifts, and emotional support are given out of apparent kindness ("love bombing"), but with undisclosed expectations of exclusivity

totalitarian worldview—critical thinking and higher education are discouraged

restrictive behavior—acceptance within the church is........

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