Depressive disorders are among the most common mental health problems
in society and appear to be affecting younger age cohorts than in past
generations (Cross-National Collaborative Group, 1992, Lewinsohn et al.,
1993 and Young et al., 2001 quotted by Greening et al., 2005). Transactional
analysis (TA) is one of the most important theories which introduces a new
way of addressing personal, relational, psychological problems. The theory
introduces some concepts which are useful specially in the counseling/
psychotherapeutic field such as: Ego States, injunctions, Permissions, script,
transference, countertransference, Decontamination, Deconfusion, Impasse and
the existential positions. TA has various approaches, one of them that the
therapist adopted in this study is the relational approach. The relational
approach emphasizes that the therapist pay attention to and facilitate the client
to realize and make sense of the dynamic of the unconscious processes in
therapy. This study was designed as qualitative multiple case studies using the
action research as an overall frame. The aim of the study was to study using
TA in changing the unhealthy Existential positions of the depressed clients.
The study subjects were five clients, who were referred to the researcher
through Metanoia Counselling and Psychotherapy Service (MCPS). Two Tools
were used; 1-The CORE (Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation) system
(Evans, 2008 and CORE IMS, 2008), and 2-“The Cognitive Triad Inventory”,
(CTI)( Ernest E. Beckham, 1986). The main findings of the study is that
depressed patients share the fact of suffering unsatisfying relationships with at
least one parent, the thing that left them underdeveloped, repeating the same
disappointing relationship, pursing the chance to get the environment through
which they can develop their experiences. Using the transactional analysis
theory can improve the depressed clients’ unhealthy existential positions
through offering a new object i.e; the therapeutic therapist-client relationship
that facilitate to the client develop whatever was left underdeveloped.
Key words: Depressive disorders, Transactional analysis. |
