Leaving a group that told you who you were, what to believe and how to think means struggling to construct an identity of your own. How does being an 'ex' impact upon identity? Today dad talks about his own experience as a former Jehovah's Witness and explains some of the psychological research into these types experiences.
References
Hookway, N. S., & Habibis, D. (2015). ‘Losing my religion’: Managing identity in a post-Jehovah’s Witness world. Journal of Sociology, 51(4), 843-856.
Shamir, B., House, R. J., & Arthur, M. B. (1993). The motivational effects of charismatic leadership: A self-concept based theory. Organization science, 4(4), 577-594.
Ebaugh, H. R., & Ebaugh, H. R. F. (1988). Becoming an ex: The process of role exit. University of Chicago Press.
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2012). Self-determination theory.