Teenagers are especially vulnerable to cult recruiters because adolescence is a life transition, a time of many changes when suddenly the old rules don't work. The Journey from childhood to adulthood can be a bumpy ride as teens learn to get along with their families while gaining independence from them.. At the same time adolescents try to avoid being pushed around by friends, they must work hard to fit in with the crowd. The major physical changes adolescents face certainly don't make life any easier.
According to psychologists who study cults, we are most vulnerable to the cult recruiter's message when we:
It is no wonder that cult recruiters often focus their efforts on teenagers. Cult recruiters know that the teen years are a time of seeking direction, and they are more than willing to point the way -- right into a damaging cult. Some recruiters make a special effort of contact potential teenage members during times of stress, such as final exam week or graduation, when they will be more vulnerable.
Although an adolescent without a job may not be able to bring money into the cult, they do have talents and a great deal of energy. Since young people have an easy time building rapport and gaining the trust of other young people, teenagers make good recruiters. Dangerous cults can also put them to work building the cult community or raising funds. Some damaging cults seek out young members because they hope these recruits will marry other cult members and will later give their children to the cult.
Straight Talk About Cults by Kay Marie Porterfield details the tactics cult recruiters use to ensnare teenagers.