CTA Script Analysis & Life Positions 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In transactional analysis, what is a 'life script'?
- A written treatment plan
- An unconscious life plan decided in childhood based on early experiences (Correct answer)
- A list of therapeutic goals
- A behavioral contract
Correct answer: An unconscious life plan decided in childhood based on early experiences
A life script is an unconscious life plan made in childhood, reinforced by parents, justified by subsequent events, and culminating in a chosen alternative.
Question 2: What are the four basic life positions in transactional analysis?
- Happy, Sad, Angry, Fearful
- I'm OK/You're OK; I'm OK/You're Not OK; I'm Not OK/You're OK; I'm Not OK/You're Not OK (Correct answer)
- Strong, Weak, Dominant, Submissive
- Active, Passive, Aggressive, Assertive
Correct answer: I'm OK/You're OK; I'm OK/You're Not OK; I'm Not OK/You're OK; I'm Not OK/You're Not OK
The four basic life positions describe fundamental existential stances: I'm OK/You're OK (healthy), I'm OK/You're Not OK (arrogant), I'm Not OK/You're OK (depressive), and I'm Not OK/You're Not OK (futile).
Question 3: What is the 'script matrix' used for in TA?
- Tracking session progress
- Mapping the script messages received from each parent or parental figure (Correct answer)
- Diagnosing personality disorders
- Planning treatment goals
Correct answer: Mapping the script messages received from each parent or parental figure
The script matrix is a diagrammatic tool that maps the script messages (injunctions, counterinjunctions, and program) received from each parental figure.
Question 4: According to Berne, when are most life script decisions made?
- In adolescence
- In early childhood, typically before age 7 (Correct answer)
- In adulthood during stressful events
- During the teenage years
Correct answer: In early childhood, typically before age 7
Berne described script decisions as typically made in early childhood (before age 7) when the child lacks the cognitive tools to evaluate parental messages objectively.
Question 5: What are 'injunctions' in TA script theory?
- Legal orders in therapy
- Negative, inhibiting messages received from the parents' Child ego state (Correct answer)
- Positive parental instructions
- Ethical guidelines for therapists
Correct answer: Negative, inhibiting messages received from the parents' Child ego state
Injunctions are negative, restrictive messages that originate from the parents' own Child ego state and inhibit the child's natural development.
Question 6: What are 'counterinjunctions' (also called 'drivers') in script theory?
- Positive script messages from the Parent ego state
- Messages from the Parent ego state that demand certain behaviors to be acceptable (Correct answer)
- Therapeutic instructions
- Countertransference reactions
Correct answer: Messages from the Parent ego state that demand certain behaviors to be acceptable
Counterinjunctions, or drivers, are demanding messages from the parents' Parent ego state that prescribe behaviors ('be perfect,' 'try hard,' 'hurry up') the child must exhibit to gain acceptance.
CTA Script Analysis & Life Positions 1
In transactional analysis, what is a 'life script'?