Case Formulations: Comparison of Transactional Analysis Script Analysis and the Patient's Plan Diagnosis Method

Abstract

This article describes a study that tested two hypotheses: (1) that life script analysis is a reliable method of case formulation and (2) that there is significant agreement between clinicians using script analysis and those using the patient's plan diagnosis (PPD) method. Eight clinicians trained in transactional analysis were given copies of a published case summary (Curtis, Silberschatz, Sampson, Weiss, & Rosenberg, 1988) and asked to rate standardized script formulations as applied to the case as well as to rate the previously published formulation statements made using the PPD method. The eight clinicians showed good agreement when rating both the standardized transactional analysis formulations (α =.8535) and the published PPD formulations (α =.7279). There was less agreement between the ratings of the transactional analysis clinicians and the published ratings of clinicians using the PPD method. Specific formulation statements showed significant divergence in the rating of the transactional analysis therapists when compared to the published PPD clinicians' ratings. Possible reasons for the variations are discussed, and implications for clinicians are suggested.