Integrating transactional analysis and family systems concepts enhances the assessment and treatment of couples. TA constructs that imply the systemic processes of complementarity and circular causality are examined. Ways in which relationship and script contracts and the dynamics of symbiotic passivity add to an understanding of couples are made explicit. The ways in which the constructs of double binds, knots, and dilemmas further our knowledge of couples are explored and illustrated.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AngyalA. (1965). Neurosis and treatment: A holistic theory. (HanfmannE.JonesB., Eds.). New York: Viking.
2.
BaderE.PearsonP. T. (1983). The developmental stages of couplehood. Transactional Analysis Journal, 13, 28–32.
3.
BerneE. (1961). Transactional analysis in psychotherapy. New York: Grove.
4.
BerneE. (1963). The structure and dynamics of organizations groups. New York: Ballantine.
5.
BerneE. (1964). Games people play. New York: Ballantine.
6.
BerneE. (1966). Principles of group treatment. New York: Grove.
7.
BerneE. (1972). What do you say after you say hello?New York: Bantam.
8.
BerneE. (1977). Concerning the nature of communication. In McCormickP. (Ed.), Intuition and ego states (pp. 49–65). San Francisco: TA Press. (Original work published 1953).
9.
Boszormenyi-NagyI.SparkG. M. (1984). Invisible loyalties: Reciprocity in intergenerational family therapy. New York: Brunner/Mazel.
10.
BowenM. (1976). Theory in the practice of psychotherapy. In GuerinP. J. (Ed.), Family therapy (pp. 42–90). New York: Gardner.
11.
BoydL.BoydH. S. (1980a). Caring and intimacy as a time structure. 10, 281–283.
12.
BoydL.BoydH. S. (1980b). Play as a time structure. Transactional Analysis Journal, 10, 5–7.
13.
CarterE. A.McGoldrickM. (1980). The family life cycle. New York: Gardner.
14.
EnglishF. (1969). Episcript and the “hot potato” game. Transactional Analysis Bulletin, 8(32), 77–82.
15.
EnglishF. (1971). The substitution factor: Rackets and real feelings. Part 1. Transactional Analysis Journal, 1(4), 27–32.
16.
EnglishF. (1972). Rackets and real feelings. Part II. Transactional Analysis Journal, 2(1), 23–25.
17.
EriksonE. H. (1963). Childhood and society (2nd ed.). New York: Norton.
18.
EriksonE. H. (1968). Identity: Youth and crisis. New York: Norton.
19.
ErskineR. G. (1982). Transactional analysis and family therapy. In HorneA. M.OhlsenM. M. (Eds.), Family counseling and therapy (pp. 245–275). Itasca, IL: Peacock.
20.
ErskineR. G.ZalcmanM. J. (1979). The racket system: A model for racket analysis. Transactional Analysis Journal, 9, 91–59.
21.
FrommE. (1956). The art of loving. New York: Bantam.
22.
GobesL. (1985). Abandonment and engulfment issues in relationship therapy. Transactional Analysis Journal, 15, 216–219.
23.
GouldingR. L.GouldingM. M. (1978). The power is in the patient. San Francisco: TA Press.
24.
JacksonD. (1965). Family rules: Marital quid pro quo. Archives of General Psychiatry, 12, 589–594.
25.
JamesM. (1979). Marriage is for loving. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
26.
KaplanL. (1978). Oneness and separateness: From infant to individual. New York: Simon & Schuster.
KarpmanS. (1980). Talk by Stephen Karpman on receiving the Eric Berne Memorial Scientific Award for options. Transactional Analysis Journal, 10, 2–4.
29.
LaingR. D. (1970). Knots. New York: Pantheon.
30.
LaingR. D. (1971). The politics of the family and other essays. New York: Vintage.
31.
LaingR. D.PhillipsonH.LeeA. R. (1966). Interpersonal perception. New York: Harper & Row.
32.
MahlerM. S.PineF.BergmanA. (1975). The psychological birth of the human infant. New York: Basic.
33.
MaslowA. (1962). Toward a psychology of being. New York: D. Van Nostrand.
34.
MasseyR. (1983). Passivity, paradox and change in family systems. Transactional Analysis Journal, 13, 33–41.
35.
MasseyR. (1985). TA as a family systems therapy. Transactional Analysis Journal, 15, 120–141.
36.
MasseyR. (1986). What/who is the family system?The American Journal of Family Therapy, 14, 23–39.
37.
MasseyR. F. (1989). Techniques in integrating TA and systems theory in couples therapy. Transactional Analysis Journal, 19, 148–158.
38.
MinuchinS. (1974). Families and family therapy. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
39.
MinuchinS.FishmanH. C. (1981). Family therapy techniques. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
40.
PappP. (1982a, June). Remarks at conference, “New developments in family therapy on both sides of the”. Nathan Ackerman Institute for Family Therapy, New York.
41.
PappP. (1982b). Staging reciprocal metaphors in a couples group. Family Process, 21, 453–467.
42.
PappP. (1983). The process of change. New York: Guilford.
43.
PennP. (1982). Circular questioning. Family Process, 19, 3–12.
44.
SchiffA. W.SchiffJ. L. (1971). Passivity. Transactional Analysis Journal, 1(1), 71–78.
45.
SchiffJ. L.SchiffA. W.MellorK.SchiffE.SchiffS.RichmanD.FishmanJ.WolzL.FishmanCMombD. (1975). Cathexis reader: Transactional analysis treatment of psychosis. New York: Harper & Row.
46.
PalazzoliM. SelviniBoscoloL.CecchinG.PrataG. (1980). Hypothesizing-circularity-neutrality: Three guidelines for the conductor of the session. Family Process, 19, 3–12.
47.
SheinbergM. (1985). The debate: A strategic technique. Family Process, 24, 259–271.
48.
WatzlawickP.BeavinJ. H.JacksonD. (1967). Pragmatics of human communication. New York: Norton.
