Berne's major contribution to psychotherapy theory was his development of the concept of subdivisions of the ego. More recent writers have deviated from Berne's description of ego states. In this article states of the ego are defined, intrapsychic functions are clarified, and the role of defense mechanisms is reexamined. Self-generated ego images are explained and their internal influence described. The article concludes with a definition of health based on the integrative function of the Adult ego state.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BerneE. (1949). The nature of intuition. Psychiatric Quarterly, 23, 203–226.
BerneE. (1957b). Ego states in psychotherapy. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 11, 293–309.
5.
BerneE. (1961). Transactional analysis in psychotherapy. New York: Grove Press.
6.
BerneE. (1964). Games people play. New York: Grove Press.
7.
EriksonE. (1950). Childhood and society. New York: Norton & Co.
8.
FairbairnW. R. D. (1954). Psychoanalytic studies of the personality. New York: Basic Books.
9.
FedernP. (1953). Ego psychology and the psychoses. London: Imago Publishers.
10.
FraibergS. (1983). Pathological defenses in infancy. Dialogue: A Journal of Psychoanalytic Perspectives. Fall, 65–75.
11.
FreudA. (1937). The ego and the mechanisms of defense. London: The Hogarth Press and the Institute of Psycho-Analysis.
12.
KernbergO. (1976). Object relations theory and clinical psychoanalysis. New York: Jason Aronson.
13.
KohutH. (1971). The analysis of the selfNew York: International Universities Press.
14.
KohutH. (1977). The restoration of the selfNew York: International Universities Press.
15.
MahlerM. (1968). On human symbiosis and the vicissitudes of individuation. New York: International Universities Press.
16.
MahlerM.PineF.BergmanA. (1975). The psychological birth of the human infant. New York: Basic Books.
17.
MastersonJ. (1976). Psychotherapy of the borderline adult. New York: Brunner/Mazel.
18.
MastersonJ. (1981). The narcissistic and borderline disorders. New York: Brunner/Mazel.
19.
MillerA. (1981). The drama of the gifted child. New York: Basic Books.
20.
PerlsL. (1978). An oral history of gestalt therapy, Part I: A conversation with Laura Perls, by Edward Rosenfeld. The Gestalt Journal. Winter, 8–31.
21.
PiagetJ. (1952). The origins of intelligence in children. Translated by CookMargaret. New York: International Universities Press. (Original French Edition, 1936).
22.
SternD. (1985). The interpersonal world of the infant. New York: Basic Books.
23.
WeissE. (1950). Principles of psychodynamics. New York: Grune Stratton.
