부산대학교 도서관

The purpose of this study is to explore in depth the process of changing negative self-talk to positive self-talk in depressed clients through transactional analysis counselling. Depression is a major factor that deepens an individual’s psychological distress and lowers their quality of life. Negative self-talk plays a decisive role in the persistence and exacerbation of depressive symptoms. In particular, negative beliefs and critical self-talk formed during early life have profound consequences on the client’s identity and interpersonal relationships. Although the importance of self-talk in the treatment of depression has been continuously emphasised in the literature, existing research mainly focuses on quantitative analysis and so detailed understanding of the specific change processes in individuals has not been identified. This study will therefore use qualitative case studies to explore changes in self-talk experienced by depressed clients and meanings attributed to such changes. Additionally, it analyses the impact of changing self-talk on depression relief and emotional recovery and explores the role of the counsellor and the specific process through which counselling interventions affect self-talk change.This study was conducted with six adults aged 20 years and above diagnosed with depression by a psychiatrist. Participants each received 10-16 transactional analysis counselling sessions. After the conclusion of counselling sessions, each participant received 2-3 in-depth interviews, and including participants' reflections, experiences of self-talk changes, and observations documented in counselling journals was collected through these interviews and journals. Using within-case analysis and cross-case comparisons, a structure for the process of change in self-talk was developed, and triangulation was used to compensate for any subjectivity in the analysis process to reinforce credibility and validity of the data.The results of this study were as follows: the process of starting from a dysfunctional growth background to the establishment of positive self talk were summarised into 6 stages. The three stages of the foremost themes pre-counselling were “a dysfunctional upbringing and the onset of negative self-talk”, “Pressures of life and the routinization of negative self-talk”, and “denial of existence and the entrenchment of negative self-talk”. The three stages of the foremost themes post-counselling were “life transition through counselling and the initiation of positive self-talk”, “A transformed life and of positive self-talk the routinization”, “hope for the future and establishment of positive self-talk”.Before counselling, the negative self-talk of the depressed client was shaped by their early upbringing environment and influences from the critical parent (CP) ego state. This manifested in an entrenched pattern of self-blame, identity confusion, and interpersonal avoidance. After counselling, the depressed client recognised the negative self-talk and replaced it with positive beliefs. By activating the adult (A) ego state, they experienced psychological stability and self-acceptance. This led to restored self-esteem, revitalized life, and improved interpersonal relationships. In the early upbringing environment, the critical parent (CP) ego state and negative beliefs had negative effects on self-talk, and negative self-talk persisted in school, work, and interpersonal relationships. Clients questioned their existence and experienced helplessness and identity crisis, but through transactional analysis counselling they recognised the origins of their negative self-talk and began the process of forming positive beliefs. Positive self-talk was then internalised and practiced in daily life, leading to the stage of experiencing emotional stability and life vitality.This study empirically demonstrated that negative self-talk as the main cause of depression, and that positive self-talk was the catalyst for emotional recovery and self-acceptance. In particular, the activation of the (A) ego state played a crucial role in alleviating the negative effects of the (CP) ego state during transactional analysis counselling. Positive strokes and supportive interventions provided by the counsellor during the counselling process transformed the client’s self-perception and promoted emotional stability.Through qualitative case studies, this study structured the psychological transformation process of depressed clients and identified transactional analysis counselling as an effective intervention method. Through this, practical guidance that can be utilised in the counselling arena and strategies for counsellor intervention were suggested.This study is a qualitative study with small a sample size, and so there is limited generalisability of the findings. Additional research considering various age ranges and cultural backgrounds is necessary, and through a comparative study of cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to transactional analysis counselling are needed to draw broader conclusions. Furthermore, through follow-up studies to evaluate long-term effectiveness, further detailed analysis of the sustainability of counselling and relapse prevention is required.This study specifically explored the process of changing negative self-talk to positive self-talk and made substantial contributions to depression treatment and prevention. The impact and process of self-talk change from transactional analysis counselling could serve as an important practical basis in the field of counselling.