Every year the number of adherents of totalitarian sects in Ukraine grows. They are referred for forensic psychiatric examination more and more frequently, both in civil and criminal cases.

The purpose of our research was to determine the degree of harm done by the activity of totalitarian sects existing in Ukraine to the mental health of their adherents. To create standardised methodological approaches to the procedures of forensic psychiatric examination.

We examined adherents of different totalitarian sects directed to the Odessa psychiatric hospital N 1 for forensic psychiatric examination. Special cards were used, in which we registered the description of his/her mental state, and the data of psychological investigation.

As a result of psychological techniques used in the totalitarian sects the adherents can easily develop new psychological characteristics, which are described in ICD-10, part F60.7 as the Dependent personality disorder. In particular, this disorder includes risk factors of the development of induced psychoses. The worsening of initial mental disorders (especially schizophrenia) was observed in many cases as a result of stressful influence (of psychogenic and somatogenic nature), to which the adherents were exposed.

To assess the extent of harm done to the adherents?? mental health by the activity of totalitarian sects it is necessary to provide inpatient complex forensic psychiatric examination with the investigation of additional materials (audio- and video-records of the religious ceremonies).