Transactional Analysis
Journal
April 2000 Abstract
Volume 30, Number 2
Violence: Early Childhood, Family, and Context
by James R. Allen and Barbara Ann Allen
Violence is multidetermined,
the outcome of individual, family, and cultural factors. This article draws
attention to the importance of some basic functions of the living organism that
can lead to aggression and violence as well as to the processes of
internalization, reenactment, poor problem solving, and societal narrative. It
also presents an expanded conceptualization of discounting and passivity.
Because early-onset violence has been shown to have a poorer prognosis than
violence that begins later in life, emphasis is placed on early childhood. The
article ends with a typology of prevention and control.
"I'm Not Talking To You": Shunning as a Form of
Violence
by Melanie Levin
This article describes shunning as
a form of psychological violence similar to teasing or excluding. Bowlby's
(1973) work on shunning is integrated with structural ego state theory using
Erskine's (1994) work on shame and self-righteousness and Clark's (1995)
concept of disavowal to describe the development of a shunning Child ego state.
A five-stage process of clinical treatment is suggested to help clients
reestablish "I'm OK, You're OK" relationships, and the wider social context of
shunning behavior is briefly considered.
Some Thoughts on Assessing Violence Potential
by Geoff Mothersole
This article examines some issues related to
assessing individuals who exhibit violent behavior. The concepts of violence,
anger, aggression, and hostility are defined. Three types of common reactions
to violent material are identified: those characterized by (1) repulsion, (2)
voyeuristic fascination, and (3) a sense of helplessness on the part of the
psychotherapist. In assessing violence potential, it is important to be clear
about who is at risk of what and how likely it is that the violence will occur.
The article concludes that psychotherapy is more likely to be appropriate when
violence is expressive and relatively ego dystonic.
The Drama Triangle in the Treatment of Domestic
Violence
by Lynn Hawker
This article discusses how the drama
triangle (Karpman, 1968) can be useful in working with domestic violence. The
drama triangle serves as a thinking structure in work with clients, volunteers,
staff, and educaton and societal systems. The article emphasizes the difficulty
of keeping out of the roles of the triangle when working with women who are
victims of domestic violence as well as the importance of not maintaining women
as victims.
Apology: The Transactional Analysis of a Fundamental
Exchange
by Claude Steiner
One of the most important and
difficult transactional options taught in emotional literacy training is the
apology transaction. This article presents a systematic analysis of the
elements constituting the complete apology transaction along with examples. It
also serves as an example of what the author considers transactional analysis
proper, the activity based on transactional analysis theory.
Human Science Research: A Matter of Quality
by
Josie Gregory
This article encourages debate about the most appropriate
use of what is often termed "qualitative" research as distinct from
"quantitative" research. Qualitative research refers to the constructivist
paradigm of theory generation within the context of human inquiry. In this
article, "constructivist" refers to gaining an in-depth understanding of how
people construe their world and how they make sense of their experiences.
Moustakas (1994) writes of "human science" research to describe those
methodologies that have certain fundamental principles in common when studying
the psychology of the self and psychosocial aspects of the human condition, its
development, and relationships. Some of these fundamental principles will be
discussed in this article. Quantitative research supports a positivistic
stance, which in its most extreme form means that what we cannot see or
experience with our five senses does not exist. Attached to this is the belief
that there is a "truth" out there waiting to be found, and only empirical data
is of scientific value for discovering this "truth." The author's assertion is
that while the positivistic approach has value within the science of nature, it
has little to offer in human science research. This article will address broad
issues related to research rather than the details of specific
methodologies.
The Relevance of Culture and Relationship Dynamics for
Closing Escape Hatches in Therapy
by Anita Mountain
This
article considers the potential dangers of routinely closing escape hatches in
therapy as recommended by Boyd and Cowles-Boyd (1980). Particular attention is
paid to clients who express the wish to commit suicide, although the escape
hatches of harming self, others, or going crazy are also discussed. The
relationship of script to escape hatches is explored along with cultural views
of death and dying. It is the author's contention that therapists often fail to
take into account a client's cultural background and environment, and that
early escape hatch closure can prevent exploration of views on death and dying,
leaving the client feeling misunderstood. The concept of hope is viewed as a
necessary prerequisite to closing escape hatches and achieving automomy, and it
is suggested that the way to foster hope is by offering clients their
developmentally needed relationship.
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