Publication

Between Worlds: Experiences of doing, being, becoming and belonging for second generation adults who disaffiliate from a new religious movement

Eva Eastman & Rebecca Twinley, 2024. Journal of Occupational Science. Read here

ABSTRACT: Religion and spirituality are under-explored in occupational science and no research to date has addressed religious disaffiliation from an occupational perspective. This research explores the subjective experiences of second-generation adults (SGAs) who have disaffiliated from the new religious movement (NRM) in which they were raised, and challenges assumptions that engagement in religious practice is necessarily based on individual choice or automatically has positive impact on well-being. An auto/biographical approach was adopted and reflexive thematic analysis used to analyse secondary data from six podcast interviews with SGAs who disaffiliated from a NRM. Three main themes were identified: Transition, Doing things, and New self. Findings show the occupational impact of disaffiliation and how the interviewees experienced transition, reconstructed their identities, and found new belonging through the interrelated dimensions of doing, being, becoming, and belonging, as defined in the Pan Occupational Paradigm. The findings build upon research that considers the multidimensional relationship between these dimensions by providing a novel exploration of the experiences of people who have ended their connection with a NRM. This study highlights a need for further research into experiences of religious disaffiliation and the impact of affiliation with high-demand groups.