Transactional

Analysis
Not as scary as it
sounds!

Definition of Transactional
(Psychological)

An

interaction of
an individual with
one or more other
persons.

Attachment

When we feel safe and happy

within ourselves and our
relationships, we are said to have a
Secure Pattern of Attachment. So
therefore, if we do not have
experience of being secure, safe
and protected, the opposite is
apparent and we are said to have
an Insecure Pattern of Attachment.
This is however an evolving
process depending on the

Transactional Analysis
Philosophy
The

theory outlines how we have

developed and treat ourselves, and
how we relate and communicate with
others
Transactional Analysis is underpinned
by the philosophy that:
people can change
we all have a right to be in the world
and be accepted

I'm not OK - You're OK

When

I think I'm not OK but you are OK,

then I am putting myself in an inferior
position with respect to you.
This position may come from being
belittled as a child, perhaps from
dominant parents or maybe careless
teachers or bullying peers.
People in this position have a particularly
low self-esteem and will put others before
them. They will have a strong urge to
please others to the detriment of
themselves. (Mainly Child Ego State)

I'm OK - You're not OK

People

in this position feel themselves superior

in some way to others, who are seen as inferior
and not OK. As a result, they may be
contemptuous and quick to anger. Their talk
about themselves will be smug and arrogant.
This position is a trap into which many
managers, parents and others in authority fall,
assuming that their given position makes them
better and, by implication, others are not OK.

These people may also have strong I must be

Perfect urges and their personal strivings makes
others seem less perfect. (Parent, Child Ego
States)

I'm not OK - You're not OK

This

is a relatively rare position, but perhaps

occurs where people unsuccessfully try to
project their bad objects and feelings onto
others. As a result, they remain feeling bad
whilst also perceiving others as bad. They will
be stroppy and angry the majority of the time.
This position could also be a result of
relationships with dominant others where the
other people are viewed with a sense of
betrayal and retribution. Not a pleasant place
to be unfortunately. (Critical Parent, Child Ego
States)

I'm OK - You're OK
When

I consider myself OK and also frame

others as OK, then there is no position for
me or you to be inferior or superior.
This is, in many ways, the ideal position.
Here, the person is comfortable with other
people and with themself. They are
confident, happy and get on with other
people even when there are points of
disagreement. (Adult Ego state) This is A
GREAT and confident place to be! A very
SECURE Pattern of Attachment.

Which Ego State am I in?

If

we can recognise what category

our students fall into by recognising
behaviours, then we can judge best
how to respond positively to them. Of
course, a good rule of thumb would be
to always be aware of our own Ego
State. This has a direct effect on how
our students respond to us, be it
negative or positive. I.e. If I raise my
voice, I become Critical Parent Ego
State which may cause my student to
regress into stroppy child Ego State

Engagement Policy
I

know we have all heard it a

million times before!
BUT..By applying a
consistent approach to our
students behaviour management
will support all attachment
issues. For some pupils, our
reliable and stable approaches
may be the only time that they
experience secure relationships.