SCRIPTS: THE ROLE OF PERMISSION

JAMES R. ALLEN, M.D. and BARBARA ANN ALLEN, MSW, MPH

Scripts, as Berne 3 pointed out, are A Progression of Permissions

designed to last a lifetime. They are based on Clinical experience has led the authors
continually reinforced parental programming to hypothesize that the permissions each
and on firm childhood decisions. These child - and each patient - needs can be
decisions, in turn, are based on four gathered together into a hierarchical series.
interdependent sets of factors: (1) those Each level is necessary and important in its
parental messages which the child accepts, own right, but it is also dependent upon the
(2) his existential position, (3) his limited solidity of the preceding levels. Cutting
life experience, and (4) his level of cognitive across standard diagnostic categories, these
development. permissions may be outlined as follows:
From infant and child observation in (1) Permission to exist.
pre-nursery and child psychiatric settings, (2) Permission to experience one's
the authors have been struck by two factors own sensations, to think one's
which have not been sufficiently stressed in own thoughts, and to feel one's
the literature of transactional analysis. First, own feelings, as opposed to what
a child does not necessarily pick up the others may believe one should
permissions and injunctions of his parenting think or feel.
figures. Some children actively seek (3) Permission to be one's self as an
alternative programming from nursery individual of appropriate age and
school attendants, the parents of other sex, with potential for growth
children, or even a fantasized parent. and development.
Secondly, as Piaget 1 3 , his students and his (4) Permission to be emotionally
critics have made clear, the cognitive style of close to others.
a Ghild is distinctively different than that of (5) Permission to be aware of one's
a "minature grown-up." One three year old own basic existential position.
girl, for example, became progressively more (6) Permission to change this
agitated by the comfort grown-ups tried to existential position.
give her as she went about pointing to the (7) Permission to succeed in sex and
cast on her arm and wailing "It broke". For in work; that is, to be able to
her, the word "broke" was very concrete: validate one's own sexuality and
she expected her arm to falloff. the sexuality of others, and to
On such bases as these, however, each "make it. "
of us decides how life is to be and then (8) Permission to fin d life
selectively interacts with and screens the meaningful.
world to support and reaffirm this decision.
To change one's script, a person needs to This progression of necessary
re-decide his early decisions. Dusay and permissions fits with Erickson's assumptions.,
Steiner 7 have drawn our attention to the that the human personality develops
importance of permission, protection and according to steps which are predetermined
potency in this process. by the individual's readiness to be aware of
James R. Allen, M.D. is Associate Professor of and to interact with a widening social radius,
Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and that society ~ at least in principle -
University of Oklahoma Health Center.
tends to invite and meet 'this succession of
Barbara A. Allen, M.S. W., M.P.H. is Instructor,
Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, potentialities, and encourages the optimal
University of Oklahoma Health Center. rate and sequence of their unfolding.

72 Transactional Anal. J. 2: 2, April 1972

Downloaded from tax.sagepub.com at EBSCO Electronic Journals Service (EJS) on May 13, 2016
 SCRIPTS: THE ROLE OF PERMISSION

The authors' conceptual model of a the sensory explorations of Elsa Gindler,

progression of permissions implies, as does Charlotte Selver and their pupils 14 Gestalt
Erickson's epigenetic model, that awareness training, bio-feedback trainin~l'
psychosocial development proceeds through and some aspects of Yoga and movement
critical turning points. It also implies that therapies 1 are pitched primarily at level two.
each level of permission and its In contrast, Frankl's logotherapy 10'
corresponding psychosocial strength is psychosynthesis ,peak-experience therapy 4'
related to all the others, that they each are and the current flowerings of religious and
dependent on the proper development of all mystical practices are pitched at level eight.
the others, and that each level exists in some
form before its critical time arrives. This conceptual framework, we
While mindful of the warnings of believe, makes clear the role of the therapist:
Steiner 15~md Lee 12that the therapist not be he helps his patient balance the various
caught up in the patient's ongoing personal tendencies within his development, and
drama triangles, we have found this thereby to get on with his total growth and
conceptual framework useful in suggesting development. Ultimately, the patient will
specific levels of therapeutic concentration. need to give these permissions to himself. In
Throughout his life, Berne sought ways to so doing - that is, changing - this often
"cure" people more quickly. It seems brings up some combination of four specific
inefficient, at the very least, to sit each catastrophic expectations:
patient down before a seven-course banquet
if he needs only the salad! Here is one (1) "If you change, you will be
method of determining which course an destroyed or at least punished"
individual patient is likely to find most (lose love, approval and
useful. "strokes").
The authors consider it important that (2) "If you change, someone
the patient receive permissions in the order (mother) will be destroyed."
in which they are outlined. If therapeutic (3) "If you change, the world
work is pitched at a high level in the series (family) will be destroyed," (or
when the lower levels have not been at least ravaged).
satisfactorily worked through, the work may (4) "If you change you won't stay
be untherapeutic if not downright that way (the family
dangerous. For example, however much a homeostatic mechanisms will
bright young schizophrenic patient may be restore the status quo).
interested in questions of level eight,
e x c l u s i ve emphasis on such Mankind projects these themes into
philosophical-mystical questions is unlikely cosmic significance; they play
to be profitable to him, and indeed may an active role in our myths. The first theme
rapidly exacerbate his symptomatology. is found in the myths of Paradise, and in the
Although varying with the potency of tale of Icarus. The second is found in the
the therapist, most of the numerous modes myths of Orpheus, and the third in the myth
of psychotherapeutic intervention which are of Pandora. The myth of Oedipus is a
currently popular resonate at more than one triumph: it combines all three.
level in this permission hierarchy. "However, To face these catastrophic
each therapeutic style does tend to expectations and to deal with transitional
emphasize one particular level; for example, periods of "despair," when he is unwilling to
Steiner's 16"permission classes" seem to be continue on as he had and yet is uncertain as
pitched at levels one and two. Fanita to what to do in its place, the patient needs
English's techniques for dealing with the other two of the three great ps from his
rackets 8' much of the work of Hilde Bruch 5' therapist: potency and protection.

Transactional Anal. J. 2: 2, April 1972 73

Downloaded from tax.sagepub.com at EBSCO Electronic Journals Service (EJS) on May 13, 2016
ALLEN AND ALLEN

References
1 Allen J.R.: "Drop-Outs and Wonderers of the 9 Erikson E.: Childhood and Society, Norton
Hip Generation", in The American &Co.,1950
Handbook of Psychiatry, Volume 3, Arieti S. 10 Frankl V.: "Beyond Self-Actualization and
Caplan, G. (ed), Basic Books, in press. Self-Expression", J. of Existential
2 Assagioli R.: Psychosynthesis, Viking Press, Psychiatry, Volume 1,1960.
New York 1965. 11 Green E. and Green A.: "On the Meaning of
3 Berne E.: Sex in Human Loving, Simon and the Transpersonal" J. of Transpersonal
Schuster, 1970, p163. Psychology 3, 1971
4 Bindrim P.: "Facilitating Peak Experiences", 12 Lee R.H.: "The Psychotherapist as
in Ways of Growth, Otto H. and Mann J. Reseurer", Transactional Anal. ]. 112, April
(ed), Viking Press, 1968 1971
5 Bruch H.: "Obesity" in Adolescence: 13 Piaget ].: Psychology of Intelligence,
Psychosocial Perspectives, Caplan G. and Harcourt, Brace and World, New York, 1950
Lebovici S. (ed), Basic Books. 1968 14 Selver C. and Brooks CVW: Chapter in
6 Campos L.: "Transactional Analysis of Witch Exploration in Human Potentialities, Otto H.
Messages", Transactional Anal. Bull. 9:34, (ed), Charles Thomas, 1966.
1970 15 Steiner C.: "Script and Counter-script",
7 Dusay ]. and Steiner C.: "Permission Transactional Analysis Bull, 5:18, April 1966
Protection and Potency" in Comprehensive 16 Steiner C. and Steiner V.: "Permission
Group Psychotherapy, Williams and Wilkins, Classes", Transactional Analysis Bull, 7: 28,
1971, p198. October 1968
8 English F.: "The Substitution Factor:
Rockets and Real Feelings" Trans Anal. ].
1:4, Oct., 1971, pp225-230.

74 Transactional Anal. J. 2: 2, April 1972

Downloaded from tax.sagepub.com at EBSCO Electronic Journals Service (EJS) on May 13, 2016