NCJ Number
51208
Journal
TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS JOURNAL Volume: 8 Issue: 2 Dated: (APRIL 1978) Pages: 144-147
Date Published
1978
Length
4 pages
Annotation
BEHAVIOR CHANGES OCCURING IN INMATES WHO PARTICIPATED IN A TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS GROUP ARE DESCRIBED AND RELATED TO PRETEST AND POSTTEST MINNESOTA MULTIPHASIC PERSONALITY INVENTORY PROFILES.
Abstract
PRIOR TO THE INFLUENCE OF TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS, THE INMATES WHO PARTICIPATED WERE ADMINISTERED THE MINNESOTA MULTIPHASIC PERSONALITY INVENTORY. RESULTS SHOWED THAT THE GROUP AS A COLLECTIVE HAD THE BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF A DEPRESSED PARANOID SCHIZOPHRENIC, ANTISOCIAL PSYCHOPATH, WITH A VERY LOW SELF-IMAGE, AND A HYPOCHONDRIACAL ELEMENT. IN TA TERMS, THIS IS THE PATTERN OF A CONFUSED 'CHILD' WHO DEMANDS IMMEDIATE GRATIFICATION OF HIS NEEDS WHILE UNDER THE DOMINATION OF A 'CRITICAL PARENT' WHO SENDS 'YOU DESERVE TO BE PUNISHED' MESSAGES. A GROUP GOAL WAS TO ENCOURAGE THE 'NATURAL CHILD' AND AFFIRM THE 'NUTURING PARENT' THROUGH A COMBINATION OF TA, PSYCHOANALYTIC WORK, AND GESTALT EXERCISES. THE OFFENSE FOR WHICH EACH GROUP MEMBER WAS IMPRISONED IS INDICATED, AND HIS ROLE AND GROWTH WITHIN THE GROUP IS DESCRIBED. THE PRETEST WAS ADMINISTERED IN DECEMBER OF 1974, JUST PRIOR TO THE FORMATION OF THE GROUP, AND THE POSTTEST WAS GIVEN IN MAY OF 1976. THE POSTTEST SHOWS THAT THE GROUP, AT THAT TIME, STILL SHOWED A 4-9 PROFILE (ANTISOCIAL PSYCHOPATH), BUT IT HAD DROPPED WITHIN THE NORMAL LIMITS. THE PSYCHOTIC CONFUSION HAD DISAPPEARED, AND SO HAD THE NEUROTIC TRIAD. MESSAGES FEEDING LOW SELF-ESTEEM HAD BEEN REDUCED, AND THE BALANCE AMONG PERSONALITY COMPONENTS WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING RESTORED. (RCB)