Destructive cult
Some researchers also include mental abuse in this notion of harm, for example: "A destructive cult is a pyramid-shaped authoritarian regime with a person or group of people that have dictatorial control. It uses deception in recruiting new members (e.g. people are NOT told up front what the group is, what the group actually believes and what will be expected of them if they become members". Psychologist Michael Langone defines a destructive cult as "a highly manipulative group which exploits and sometimes physically and/or psychologically damages members and recruits". Lifton's "Eight criteria for thought reform" are criteria to identify a destructive cult.