Elaboração e validação do inventário dos estados do ego segundo a teoria da Análise Transacional

Abstract

The study of personality traits is fundamental for the understanding of the individual and to the structuring of the psychotherapeutic process, which has been one of the main objectives of Psychology since its characterization as a structured science. Many theorists, over more than one century of studies, have proposed different approaches to the understanding of psychic phenomena related to personality traits. Personality is understood as being the observable external characteristics that define an individual. The word personality also defines a series of subjective qualities intrinsic to mental processes and inherent to psychic life, providing the expression of more stable and predictable characteristics of interpersonal interaction, as well as the characteristics of response to the environment, adaptable to the various situations throughout life. The assessment of personality traits is essential for appropriate therapeutic intervention. In this respect, an important and still little explored issue in the study of personality from the theoretical point of view of Transactional Analysis is the elaboration and use of validated instruments that contribute to both the diagnostic process and the follow-up of the therapeutic process evolution. A query to the System of Psychological Testing Evaluation of the Regional Psychology Board did not identify any ready-to-use instrument, or even in the process of being processed, for use in the clinical practice based on the Transactional Analysis Theory. The main aim of the present research was to elaborate a psychometric instrument called Ego States Inventory, which presents consistent validity characteristics. The present research also had as secondary aim to analyze the distribution of the Cathexis expressed in each Ego State. Specifically, empirical data that can corroborate or refute the way Cathexis is distributed in the population in an Ideal Egogram were searched. Our results consistently indicate that the standard Egogram of the population has bell-shaped distribution. This is of extreme importance in clinical practice, where a recurrent question is what would be the ideal Cathexis distribution for good functioning in society. The valid and reliable psychometric representation of both the individual’s standard Egogram contributes to better monitoring of the evidence-based therapeutic evolution. In conclusion, the main finding of this investigation was the obtaining of a psychometrically valid instrument for the representation of Ego States. Secondarily, but very important from the clinical point of view, data revealed previously and theoretically indicated Cathexis distribution among Ego States that, from the instrument obtained, is now empirically supported, which is fundamental for evidence-based clinical practice.