SUMMARY OF TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS

TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS (summary)

"The unit of social intercourse is called a transaction.  If two or more people encounter each other... sooner or later one of them will speak, or give some other indication of acknowledging the presence of the others. This is called transactional stimulus.  Another person will then say or do something which is in some way related to the stimulus, and that is called thetransactional response."³

With this definition, Dr. Berne defined the basic unit of analysis.  At its simplest level,Transactional Analysis is the method for studying interactions between individuals.  By identifying and standardizing upon a single unit, development and promotion of this theory was easily facilitated.  Psychotherapists were able to read about Berne's theories and test them out in their own practices.  Dr. Thomas Harris stated in I'm OK - You're OK that in Transactional Analysis, "we have found a new language of psychology."

It should be noted that this approach was profoundly different than that of Freud.  While Freud and most other psychotherapists took the rather simplistic approach of asking the patient about themselves, Berne took an alternate approach to therapy.  Berne felt that a therapist could learn what the problem was by simply observing what was communicated (words, body language, facial expressions) in a transaction.  So instead of directly asking the patient questions, Berne would frequently observe the patient in a group setting, noting all of the transactions that occurred between the patient and other individuals.

Berne's Three Ego States

In addition to the analysis of the interactions between individuals, Transactional Analysis also involves the identification of the ego states behind each and every transaction.  Berne defined an ego state as "a consistent pattern of feeling and experience directly related to a corresponding consistent pattern of behavior."⁴

As a practicing psychiatrist in Carmel, California in the early 1950s, Berne treated hundreds of patients.  During the course of their treatment, he consistently noted that his patients, and indeed all people, could and would change over the course of a conversation.  The changes would not necessarily be verbal - the changes could involve facial expressions, body language, body temperature, and many other non-verbal cues.

In one counseling session, Berne treated a 35 year old lawyer.  During the session, the lawyer (a male) said "I'm not really a lawyer; I'm just a little boy."  But outside the confines of Dr. Berne's office, this patient was a successful, hard-charging, attorney.  Later, in their sessions, the lawyer would frequently ask Dr. Berne if he was talking  "to the lawyer or the little boy."  Berne was intrigued by this, as he was seeing a single individual display two "states of being."  Berne began referring to these two states as "Adult" and "Child."  Later, Berne identified a third state, one that seemed to represent what the patient had observed in his parents when he was small. Berne referred to this as "parent."  As Berne then turned to his other patients, he began to observe that these three ego states were present in all of them.  As Berne gained confidence in this theory, he went on to introduce these in a 1957 paper - one year before he published his seminal paper introducing Transactional Analysis.

Berne ultimately defined the three ego states as: Parent, Adult, and Child.  It should be carefully noted that the descriptions of these ego states do NOT necessarily correspond to their common definitions as used the English language.

Before describing each of the three ego states, it is important to note that these are fundamentally different than Freud's Ego, Id, and Superego. Berne describes this best when he writes in Transactional Analysis in Psychotherapy:

"It will be demonstrated that Parent, Adult, and Child are not concepts, like Superego, Ego, and Id, or the Jungian constructs, but phenomenological realities."⁵  Stated another way, Freud's ego states are unobservable, theoretical states; but Berne's three ego states can be confirmed with observable behaviors.

The following are detailed descriptions of the three ego states:

Parent - The parent represents a massive collection of recordings in the brain of externalevents experienced or perceived in approximately the first five years of life.  Since the majority of the external events experienced by a child are actions of the parent, the ego state was appropriately called Parent.  Note that events perceived by the child from individuals that are NOT parents (but who are often in parent-like roles) are also recorded in the Parent.  When Transactional Analysts refer to the Parent ego state (as opposed to a biological or stepparent), it is capitalized. The same goes for the other two state (Adult and Child)

Examples of recordings in the Adult include:

·         "Never talk to strangers"

·         "Always chew with your mouth closed"

·         "Look both ways before you cross the street"

It is worth noting that, while recording these events, the young child has no way to filter the data; the events are recorded without question and without analysis. One can consider that these events are imposed on the child.

There are other data experienced by the child that are not recorded in the Parent. This is recorded in the Adult, which will be described shortly.

Child - In contrast to the Parent, the Child represents the recordings in the brain of internalevents associated with external events the child perceives.  Stated another way, stored in the Child are the emotions or feelings which accompanied external events. Like the Parent, recordings in the Child occur from childbirth all the way up to the age of approximately 5 years old.

Examples of recordings in the Child include:

·         "When I saw the monster's face, I felt really scared"

·         "The clown at the birthday party was really funny!

Adult - The Adult is the last ego state.  Close to one year of age, a child begins to exhibit gross motor activity.  The child learns that he or she can control a cup from which to drink, that he or she can grab a toy. In social settings, the child can play peek-a-boo.

This is the beginning of the Adult in the small child. Adult data grows out of the child's ability to see what  is different than what he or she observed (Parent) or felt (Child).  In other words, the Adult allows the young person to evaluate and validate Child and Parental data.  Berne describes the Adult as being "principally concerned with transforming stimuli into pieces of information, and processing and filing that information on the basis of previous experience"⁶ Stated another way, Harris describes the Adult as "a data-processing computer, which grinds out decisions after computing the information from three sources: the Parent, the Child, and the data which the adult has gathered and is gathering"⁷

One of the key functions of the Adult is to validate data in the parent. An example is:

"Wow.  It really is true that pot handles should always be turned into the stove" said Sally as she saw her brother burn himself when he grabbed a pot handle sticking out from the stove.

In this example, Sally's Adult reached the conclusion that data in her Parent was valid.  Her Parent had been taught "always turn pot handles into the stove, otherwise you could get burned."  And with her analysis of her brother's experience, her Adult concluded that this was indeed correct.

In an attempt to explain Transactional Analysis to a more mainstream audience, Dr. Thomas Harris developed the following summary.  Although this is a very good tool for beginners to learn, keep in mind that this a wildly simplified approach, and can have the effect of "dumbing down" Transactional Analysis.  The summary is as follows:

Parent - taught concept
Child - felt concept
Adult - learned concept

But not all transactions proceed in this manner.  Some transactions involve ego states other than the Adult.

This leads us to Parent - Child transactions, which are almost as simple as Adult-Adult transactions.  Quoting Dr. Berne in Games People Play: "The fevered child asks for a glass of water, and the nurturing mother brings it."⁸  In this, the Child of small child directs an inquiry to the Parent of his/her mother.  The Parent of the mother acknowledges this stimuli, and then gives the water to the child.  In this example, the small child's request is the stimuli, and the parent providing the water is the response.

One of the tools used by a TA practitioner is a structural diagram, as represented on the left.  A structural diagram represents the complete personality of any individual.  It includes the Parent, Adult, and Child ego states, all separate and distinct from each other.

                                                                                                

Transactional Analysts will then construct a diagram showing the ego states involved in a particular transaction.  The transaction to the right shows a Parent - Child transaction, with the Child ego state providing the transactional stimulus, and the Adult responding with the transactional response. This transaction matches the Parent - Child example listed above, with the fevered child asking his/her mother for a glass of water.

So far, the two transactions described can be considered complementary transactions.  In a complementary transaction, the response must go back from the receiving ego state to the sending ego state.  For example, a person may initiate a transaction directed towards one ego state of the respondent.  The respondent's ego state detects the stimuli, and then that particular ego state (meaning the ego state to which the stimuli was directed) produces a response.  According to Dr. Berne, these transactions are healthy and represent normal human interactions.  As Berne says in Games People Play "communication will proceed as long as transactions are complementary."⁹

GROUP 5 MEMBERS:
ALMONICIDO, MARY JANE
FRANCISCO, CHRISTINE JOY
SANTANDER, MARLYN
GARCIA, NANCY
LOREZO, JACQUELIN

GUIDANCE COUNSELING PROGRAM

The Curriculum
ESS develops the child in all aspects through the attainment of objectives peculiar to the preschool. Considering that your children are individuals who develop as whole persons, the ESS Preschool Dept. stands not to deal with the traditional approach of teaching, but to embrace a globally oriented type of curriculum.
Early childhood program must be well-rounded, therefore, the preschool curriculum focuses on the following areas of your child’s development:
• Physical Development
• Affective Development
• Cognitive Development
• Creative-Aesthetic Development
1. Physical Development
fine motor coordination through play and manipulative activities
2. Affective Development
personal  and social/interpersonal skills or behavior pertaining to
independence and social behavior, awareness of their feelings and sense
of right and wrong
3. Cognitive Development
sensory perceptual skills, communication skills, numeric concepts and
other operational skills
4. Creative-Aesthetic Development
responsiveness to the surroundings, exploration of sounds, art activities
and creative movements
We in the Elizabeth Seton School offer your children quality preschool education where the school and the teacher, together with the family, support in the development of the children’s potentials.  
Academic Programs
Programs for grade schoolers that build on their strengths through:
• Catholic Christian Formation
• Quantumized environment
• Value integration
• Multiple intelligence enhancement
• Relevant and challenging curriculum
• Modern instructional aids and strategies
• Globally competitive experiences
• Interactive computer-assisted instruction
• High order thinking skills (HOTS)

- Problem solving
- Analytical and critical thinking
- Application of learned skills
- Sound decision making
- Science processes
Zest for Learning and Living (ZL2)

It aims to entrench multiple-intelligence in the heart of every pupil and profess their needs in their future career.  This offering is essential to the balanced formation and well-rounded development of the pupils that will supplement studies, promote empowerment and global competitiveness.


Remediation Program /Pull-Out Program for PS
It is designed to provide special services to pupils who fail to cope with the academic standards of the school.  This program will facilitate learning especially to deficient pupils whose identified needs are addressed.
Community Day
This is provided to the pupils to develop their civic consciousness and make them grow in understanding the importance of cooperation and unity among the people in the community so that they become socially adjusted individuals.
Personality Day
Grade schoolers come in any decent clothes that would enhance their personality on a scheduled day after the quarterly exams.  They may wear the attire of the career they want to pursue when they grow up.
Scouting
Both boys and girls are trained to be self-sufficient who exhibit love for GOD, country and fellowmen.  Their leadership potentials are honed so they can acquire skills, knowledge and attitude to prope<blockquote>
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l them to become successful individuals and active contributors to the general improvement of the quality of life.
Mentoring
In coordination with the Guidance Unit, this program focuses on the welfare of the pupils in their personal and interpersonal relationships helping them overcome obstacles that hinder holistic learning.  They also realize their strengths and weaknesses leading them to be able to modify weaknesses into strengths and utilizing them towards a well-balanced character.
Waterfun Day
Pupils are provided opportunities to manifest self-reliance and independence where they perform activities by themselves such as taking a bath, wading in the pool, viewing a film, playing indoor games, reading in the library and eating their snacks.
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PROBLEM CHECKLIST

PROBLEM CHECKLIST OF A CHILDREN

EMOTIONAL

_Frequently seems anxious or tense 

 _Cries easily or often 

 _Worries a lot 

 _Is overly dependent 

 _Needs to be reassured frequently 

 _Feelings are easily hurt 

 _Frequently seems sad or depressed 

 _Feels guilty too easily or too often

 _Feels inferior 

_Is easily embarrassed 

 _Has strong fears

 _Has many fears 

 _Refuses to sleep 

 _Seems uncomfortable in new situations 

 _Is afraid to show anger 

 _Is easily upset 

SELF

 _Is self-critical 

_Overreacts to small mistakes 

_ Acts inferior to other children 

 _Is always a follower, never a leader 

 _Gives up easily 

 I_s pessimistic 

 _Worries about making mistakes 

 _Has little self-confidence 

 _Always giving in to other children 

PE/PL

 _Is not friendly to other children

 _Bullies other children 

_Hurts or teases other children 

_Does not share with other children 

_Doesn't get along with others the same age

 _Is teased a lot by other children 

_Is not liked by other children 

_Has trouble making friends 

_Has few friends 

SCHOOL

 _Does not finish homework 

 _Does not like school 

 _Does not get along with children at school

_Does not get along with teachers 

_ Needs too much attention from teachers 

_Is a discipline problem at school 

_Blames teachers for problems in school 

_Is considered a problem child in school

_Is frequently late to school

_Skips school

_Frequently gets sick in school

_Gets poor grades

_Is an underachiever

_Is in remedial or special education classes

LANG/THINK

_Refuses to talk 

_Uses baby talk 

_Misnames things 

_Has trouble understanding instructions 

_Forgets things 

_Has a poor memory 

_Has trouble with time and date 

_Has a poor sense of direction 

_Has trouble knowing right from left 

 _Has trouble understanding puzzles & games 

CON/ORG

_Does not pay attention 

_Is easily distracted 

_Has trouble finishing projects 

_Cannot finish a game or puzzle 

_Acts impulsively

_Has trouble getting organized

_Has trouble planning activities

_Loses interest quickly

_Changes mind often

_Has difficulty following rules

ACT/MO

_Is uncoordinated 

_Frequently drops or breaks things 

_Bumps into things 

_Is clumsy 

_Has trouble throwing or catching a ball 

_Is neither strongly right or left handed 

_Is overactive

_Has a lot of accidents 

_Is frequently hurt or injured

_Is restless

_Has trouble sitting still at dinner 

_Is always climbing or running 

_Has tics or twitches

_Has unexpected movements of arms or legs

_Has trouble with balance

_Seems listless or lacks energy

BEHAVIOR

_Often interrupts 

_Is uncooperative

 _Frequently argues or disagrees 

_Is disobedient 

_Refuses to listen

_Is stubborn 

_Is resentful 

_Is secretive 

_Is too aggressive 

_Has a bad temper 

_Always has to have own way 

_Threatens to run away from home 

_Intentionally break things 

_Is cruel to animals 

_Often brags or boasts 

_Is a show-off 

_Threatens to hurt others 

VALUES

_Frequently lies 

_Cheats at games 

_Takes or uses other children's toys 

_Steals things from children or adults 

_Blames others for mistakes 

_Takes advantage of others 

_Does not feel guilty after misbehaving 

_Is unappreciative

_Is unaware of other children's feelings 

_Does not know right from wrong 

_Ignores rules

_Is disrespectful of authority 

_Does not keep agreements 

_Has poor sense of loyalty

HABBITS

_Has problem with bed wetting 

_Soils underwear 

_Does not wash 

_Does not brush teeth 

_Sleeps poorly 

_Is frequently tired 

_Has frequent nightmares

_Has trouble getting to sleep

_Has episodes of sleepwalking

_Is overweight

_Is underweight

_Is a messy eater

_Eats only a few favorite foods

_Eats dirt or other non-food material 

_Is not concerned with appearance 

_Has poor manners

HEALTH

_Is often sick 

_Has allergies 

_Has asthma 

_Has frequent headaches 

_Has frequent stomach aches 

_Often complains of being ill

_Seems to enjoy being sick

_Uses sickness to avoid chores or school

_Frequently vomits

_Has problems with bowel movements

COMMON PROBLEMS OF EED CHILDREN

Common child behavior problems

 Overview

         All children exhibit problem behaviors from time to time and all of them have an underlying cause. However, not all problem behaviors can be placed under a single category, nor can caregivers respond to all of them in the same way. Caregivers should try to uncover the roots of a behavior and assess a child's individual temperament before implementing a proper method of discipline.

          Defining "normal" behaviors in children depends on a child's age, development and personality, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. Whereas "normal" child behaviors fit within social expectations and a child's level of development, problem behaviors go against those expectations. For example, a child in elementary school may not be expected to defy authority in the same way that a teen does.

Reasons for Misbehavior

         In some cases, children exhibit problem behaviors if they desire attention or want to test the limits placed by authority figures, according to the University of Missouri Extension. Children may also misbehave if they are striving to become independent from their parents, if they feel threatened and are trying to protect themselves, or if they feel overwhelmed, insecure, tired, hungry or ill. Sometimes children pick up on what authority figures deem "problem behaviors" by watching others, including their own parents.

Changing Problem Behaviors

        Don't attempt to change your child's problem behaviors all at once, says the University of Michigan Health System. You will be less likely to overwhelm or confuse your child if you focus your efforts on one to two particularly hazardous or bothersome behaviors. Your response to those behaviors will depend on your child's age. If a younger child's argumentative nature is getting out of hand, try to reduce instances of arguments by giving her choices. For example, you may ask her whether she wants to wear her white or red socks and whether she would like to first clean her room or the living room.
          On the other hand, a toddler's problem behaviors may best be remedied by redirecting her attention to another activity and sending her to occasional short time-outs. In some cases, a logical and natural consequence, such as taking away the toy that caused a fight between siblings, is enough to remedy problem behaviors in the future. Ultimately, the University of Michigan Health System says that consequences are most effective if they are immediate and consistent.

Behavior Disorders

      

         Behavior disorders cause some children to act in ways that transcend typical childhood mischief or rebellion. MedlinePlus recommends asking for help if your child has been behaving in a hostile, aggressive or disruptive manner for at least six months. Some problem behaviors may include damaging property, harming themselves or others, lying, stealing, problems in school, using drugs or drinking, frequent arguments and tantrums, sexual activity at an early age and constant hostility toward authority figures.

Outside Treatment

          If a child consistently exhibits problem behaviors, he should receive a full evaluation to rule out or properly diagnose conditions, such as behavior disorders, mood disorders or learning disabilities, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Early intervention methods, such as behavior therapy and specialized education, will give the child a chance to reach his full potential.

OTHER PROBLEMS OF A CHILDREN

         There are five very common behavior problems that almost every parent will experience when dealing with their children. Of course, every child is different, and some children will struggle more with some problems than other children. If you are a parent, however, chances are you will have to deal with at least one or two of these problems as your child grows and matures.

One of the most common problems that parents have to deal with is their child’s whining. How does a child begin whining? More than likely, your child began whining when she discovered that you paid more attention to her when she was in distress. While that distress may have begun with a legitimate situation, it probably developed into your child’s way of getting your attention, even if that attention was negative. How can you deal with the whining? You need to take the attention away from your child. You simply should not respond to your child’s whining. When she begins to whine, you can very calmly tell her that you will not answer her or address her problem until she speaks to you in an ordinary voice, then walk away from her and continue to ignore her whining behavior. When she realizes that the whining isn’t getting the result she desires, she should stop.

         Another common problem that parents encounter is bedtime battles. Does your child go calmly to bed, only to repeatedly get up for that last sip of water or visit to the bathroom? Does it take you one to two hours to get your child to finally settle in for the night? There are several ways you can handle this depending upon the age of your child. If your son or daughter is a toddler or pre-schooler, you may want to keep a chart. Each time your child goes to bed and stays in bed, reward her with a sticker. After a designated time period in which she stayed in the bed for several consecutive nights, let her choose a particular treat, such as a small toy or a visit to a new playground. Be sure you praise her for being a good girl. If your child is older, you may need to dock any extra time that he takes staying in the bed. Explain to your child that the longer he stalls going to bed, the less time he will be allowed to watch television or play on the computer.

        If your child has the irritable habit of throwing a tantrum every time you go to the supermarket, you are not alone. Often, these habits intensify simply because it is easier to give in to your child than to address the problem. How can you handle these tantrums? Probably the most important thing you should remember is that you should never give in to them. This may mean that you have to leave the store. Once you leave the store, however, don’t let your child’s behavior go without consequences. Once you get home, you will need to instill some sort of time-out or loss of privilege, depending on the age of your child.

Indulging your child too much and too often may turn your child into a selfish, spoiled brat. While you may have thought that you were lavishing your child with love by giving into her every whim and desire, you may soon learn that your child’s desires are unending. If you have somehow helped to create a demanding child, you can reverse this behavior pattern, even though it may take a while. Don’t give in to your child’s every wish. Instead, help your child discover ways to earn certain privileges or objects. Show your child that there are many people who are in need. Be sure you volunteer at activities that your child can help with. Teach your child to give to others, instead of only wanting to obtain things for herself.

         Finally, many parents wake up one morning to suddenly find that their son or daughter thinks he or she can talk back in a disrespectful manner. Of course, when a child talks back to a parent, that parent may lose his or her temper rather quickly, but you should keep in mind that this is often what a child wants. If your child senses that he has the power to make you lose control, he may exert that power more and more often. Your child needs to show you respect, and in order to teach him this, you will need to talk to him respectfully, but firmly. If he speaks to you disrespectfully, you should tell him that you will not discuss anything with him until he can talk respectfully to you. Let him know that he will not get any kind of response out of you until he changes his tone. Behavior problems can be overwhelming, but with firmness and consistency, parents can do a lot to manage their child’s behavior.