Oya KAYIR

St. Clements University/ St. Clements University, Clinical Psychology / United Kingdom ORCID ID: 0009-0000-9042-489

DOI : https://doi.org/10.58806/ijsshmr.2025.v4i10n21

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ABSTRACT

This research also Interpersonal relationships and human interactions in general are closely related to individuals' patterns of thought, emotion, and behaviour within their own inner worlds, i.e., their ego states. According to the Transactional Analysis (TA) theory developed by Eric Berne, personality consists of three different ego states: parent, adult, and child, and individuals switch between these states in daily life. The interactions between these ego states are called transactions and directly affect the flow and effectiveness of communication. Given the complex structure of marriage and close relationships, the quality of communication and problem-solving skills between couples significantly affect marital harmony. Research shows that dysfunctional beliefs and unrealistic expectations can cause problems in relationships, making changing these beliefs critical to preventing relationship issues. In this context, ego state therapy is an approach that aims to increase internal consistency and encourage growth and development potential by enabling individuals to use their ego states more healthily.Therapy focuses on the integration of ego states and the development of interpersonal communication. However, personal development and change processes often encounter various resistances. According to TA, unconscious life plans (life scripts) acquired in childhood and influencing adult behaviour are one of the main reasons individuals resist change. Although harmful, these scenarios can feel 'safe' because they are familiar, and individuals may unconsciously tend to recreate situations that fit their scenarios, even if they consciously desire something different. This resistance can also be explained by the concept of the 'false self'. False self is an inauthentic personality structure that an individual constructs in order to adapt, protecting their true self as a result of environmental impositions or pathological relationships. Living with a false self can lead to the individual experiencing a sense of "not being real," that is, alienation.

KEYWORDS:

Ego States, Resistance to Change, Therapy

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