Codependence:ATransgenerationalScript

ByGloriaNoriegaGayol

Abstract

An epidemiological study, based on transactional analysis theory, was conducted in

MexicoCitywithasampleof830women.Codependenceispresentedinthisstudyasadisorderin
theareaofinterpersonalrelationships,andspecifically,inthewelldocumentedfamilysituationin
which one or more members are addicted to alcohol and/or other drugs. In this research, the
codependence script is presented as an example of a script (individual, familial, gender, and
cultural)thatcanbetransmittedfromonegenerationtothenext(Noriega,2002).

Life scripts can be transmitted from one generation to the next. Examples of this script
genealogycanbeseenclearlyintheadultchildrenofalcoholics(ACOAs)literature
(Kritsberg, 1985). Members of a family in which one or more members are alcoholics
followcertaininjunctionslikeunspokenrules;theseincludeDonttalk,Donttrust,andDont
feel (Black, 1981). They may also play certain rigid roles within the family (Wegscheider Cruse,
1981).
From the perspective of family therapy, codependencelike alcoholismis a problem
thatrunsinfamilies.Itistransmittedfromonegenerationtothenext,(THESTATEMENTFROM
ONE GENERATION TO THE NEXT IS REPEATED HERE AND IN THE FIRST PARAGRAPH. MY
SUGGESTIONISTOWRITEINSTEAD:THISGENERATIONALTRANSMISSIONOFTHESCRIPTOFTEN
HAPPENS WITH ONE CHILD.) often with one child in the family becoming an alcoholic and
anotheracodependentwhoismarriedtoanalcoholicordrugaddict(Brown,1996).
Some years ago, Berne (1972/1974) explained how scripts could be transmitted from
grandparentsandparentstotheirchildren.James(1984)reviewedBernesconceptsregardingthe
script influences of grandparents and presented additional observations on multigenerational
family processes and surrogate grandparents as marital partners. More recently, Ancelin
Shtzenberger (1993/1998), from a psychoanalytic and psychodramatic perspective, traced the
rootsofscripttransmissionbacktoFreud,Dolto,Abraham,Jung,BoszormenyiNagy,andMoreno.
AncelinShtzenbergerdescribedhowMorenoraisedthecomplexquestionoftransgenerational
transmission of unresolved conflicts, of hatred, revenge, vendettas, of secrets, of what is
unspoken, as well as premature deaths and choice of profession (p. 7). She quoted Berne as
stating,Theindividualissubjectedtoinjunctionsbothofexternalexpectationsandinternalized
obligations....Theparentmotherorfatherinus(p.29).
1

However,inwhatshecallsherauthorsgenealogy(background),AncelinShtzenberger
never mentions Bernes theory about script transmission. Likewise, in Germany, Hellinger
(2000/2001) developed family constellations therapy, which is a method for treating unresolved
transgenerationalissues;however,hementionsonlybrieflytheinfluenceofBerneonhiswork.
OneofmygoalsinthestudydescribedherewastohighlightthescriptideasofEricBerne
(1972/1974),who,intheearly1970s,madeanoriginalandusefultheoreticalcontributionthathas
today become part of the general domain in psychology and psychotherapy. The concurrent
development of the transgenerational transmission concept by other authors may be a
coincidence, a synchronous phenomenon, or an example of yet another transactional analysis
conceptthathasbeenappropriatedbyotherschools.
My interest in this subject comes from my clinical practice some years ago when I
observedclientswhowereunconsciouslyreenactingeitherinapositiveoranegativeway,inan
intimaterelationshiporonthejobthelifestoryofoneoftheirgrandparents.
The concept of codependency was selected for this study because it represents an
exampleofwomensscriptstransmittedfromonegenerationtothenext.Codependencehasbeen
usedtodescribethepsychologicalproblemexperiencedbypeoplewholivewithanalcoholic,but
this study, and others done recently, explains codependence as a multidimensional problem
associatedwithotherstressfulexperiencesaswell(Fuller&Wagner[ENDREFERENCESSPELLSIT
WARNER, WHICH IS CORRECT] (WARNER), 2000; Gotham & Sher, 1995; Meyer & Russel, 1997
[END REFERENCES GIVES 1996 FOR MEYER ONLY, IS THAT THE REFERENCE YOU MEANT TO LIST
HERE?],(ITISMEYER,D.,&RUSSELL,R,1998,LIKEINENDREFERENCES)1998).
The concept of codependence has also been studied from a transactional analysis
perspective. Schaeffer (1987), without using the term codependence, explained the difference
between love and addictive love using the concept of power games. Weiss and Weiss (1989)
presented a systematic treatment approach for codependency based on the diagnosis of
developmental dysfunctions in the inner Child. Chang (1996) described the consequences of
emotionalabuseinwomen,includingsymptomssimilartothosedescribedinthecodependency
literature.Theresultsofthepresentstudyshowastrongassociationbetweencodependenceand
domestic violence (physical, emotional, and sexual abuse), and it is important to highlight that
emotionalabuseisalsopresentwhenphysicalandsexualabuseoccurs.

Codependence has been studied from the following theoretical

perspectives:
1. As a personality disorder: Proposed by Cermak (1986) for inclusion in the Diagnostic
andStatisticalManual(DSMIIIR)(AmericanPsychiatricAssociation,1993[CHECKDATEONTHIS]
(1993).TheproposalwasnotacceptedbytheAPAcommitteeduetothelackofvalidationofthe
empiricalstudiespresented(Cieply,1995;Miller,1994;Zetterling,1999).

2. As a group of common personality features developed by the adult children of

alcoholics(ACOAs):Thisproposalwasbasedintheclinicalobservationsoffamilytherapists(Black,
1981; Kritsberg, 1985; Wegscheider Cruse, 1981: Woititz, 1983/1998). However, subsequent

studies did not validate this hypothesis (Brown, 1996 [ADD TO END REFERENCES] (BROWN, S.
(1996)ISALREADYATTHEENDREFERENCES);Havey,Boswell,&Romans,1995).

3.Asadysfunctionalrelationshippatternbasedonspecificbehaviors(Lyon&Greenberg,
1991;Spann&Fisher,1990;Williams,Bissel,&Sullivan[ENDREFERENCESGIVESULLIVEN,WHICH
IS CORRECT?] (SULLIVEN), 1991). Through several studies, Wright and Wright (1990, 1991, 1992
[SHOULDTHISBEWRIGHTONLY?](NOBECAUSETHEYAREACOUPLE),1995,1999)validatedthis
idea; they consider codependency similar to addictive love (Norwood, 1985). They (1995, 1999)
describe two types of codependence: endogenous and exogenous. The former refers to a
predilection(ISNOTAPREDILECTION,IPREFERTO SAY:AVULNERABILITYINSOMEPEOPLEFOR
DEVELOPINGCODEPENDENCEWHENTHEYHAVE.)insomepeoplefordevelopingcodependence
and , when they have a family history of alcoholism, for becoming involved with a partner who
abusesalcohol.Thelatterisrelatedtoanongoingreactiondevelopedbypeoplewhoarecoping
with an alcoholic partner regardless of whether they have a background of alcoholism in their
familyoforigin.

Mystudywasbasedonthethirdoftheseperspectives;itusedtransactionalanalysisscript
theory to explain the development of those relationship patterns. [I MOVED THE WRIGHT AND
WRIGHT MATERIAL ABOUT ENDOGENOUS AND EXOGENOUS TO THE END OF THE PRIOR
PARAGRAPH.ITSEEMEDTOODISCONNECTEDWHENITWASHERE.OK?](OK)

There has been considerable controversy surrounding the concept of codependency for
two main reasons: (1) the lack of a common definition of codependence due to different
theoretical perspectives and (2) a feminist reaction by some who view codependency as a label
imposed on women in a maleoriented society. However, both because of such problems and
criticismandtoargueinfavoroftheconcept,anumberofresearchersandacademicscontinued
investigatingcodependencyasawaytodenounceafrequenthealthproblemaffectingwomenin
oursociety,aproblemthatisoftenseenasnatural,evenbywomenthemselves.

For the purposes of my study, codependence was defined as a relationship disorder

characterized by a strong dependency toward a problematic partner shown by an emotional
dissatisfactionandpersonalsufferinginwhichthewomanfocusesherattentionontakingcareof
her partners and other peoples needs while discounting her own. It is associated with an
incomplete development of identity, emotional repression, and a rescuer orientation toward
othersandisalsoviewedasakindofdefensemechanism(Noriega,2002).(IMSORRY,THISISA
TEXTDEFINITION:CODEPENDENCEASDEFINEDFORTHISSTUDYAS:ARELATIONSHIPDISORDER,
CHARACTERIZEDBYASTRONGDEPENDENCYTOWARDAPROBLEMATICPARTNER,SHOWNBYAN
EMOTIONAL DISSATISFACTION AND PERSONAL SUFFERING, WHERE THE WOMAN FOCUSES HER
ATTENTION IN TAKING CARE OF HER PARTNERS AND OTHER PEOPLES NEEDS WHILE
DISCOUNTING HER OWN. IT IS ASSOCIATED WITH A DENIAL MECHANISM, AN INCOMPLETE
DEVELOPMENT OF IDENTITY, EMOTIONAL REPRESSION AND A RESCUER ORIENTATION TOWARD
OTHERS(NORIEGA,2002,P.120)


Thisstudyshowstheassociationbetweencodependenceandthefollowingstressfactors:
(1) early affective loss (represented by death, neglect, separation or divorce, abandonment of
parents,and/orchronicillnessofafamilymember,allbeforetheageof12);(2)domesticviolence
inthefamilyoforigin(physical,sexual,oremotionalabuse);(3)afamilyhistoryofalcoholism(in
grandparents,parents,andsiblings);(4)apartnerwithproblemswithalcoholism;(5)anabusive
partner (physical, sexual, or emotional violence); and (6) submissive feminine behavior with the
partner.

Fromatransactionalanalysisperspective,codependencecanbeseenasascript.Itismore
frequentinwomenandisintrojectedintoherpersonality(egostates)aswellasinsertedintothe
cultureasapassivitysyndrome(Shiff &Coll,1975)[ADDTOENDREFERENCES] (OKI SAWIT).It
manifestsassubmissivebehaviorandisunconsciouslyfocusedontryingtofulfillherneedsfrom
early affective losses. This script reinforces an unresolved symbiosis, thus preventing the
development of the womans own identity. It presents as a rescuer game toward others while
maintaining emotional repression. This script is demonstrated by following passive behaviors
(passivebecausetheyavoidtheresolutionofthecodependenceproblem):doingnothing(denial
mechanism),overadaptation(rescuergame),agitation(emotionalrepression),andincapacityand
violence (internal by means of psychosomatic disorders or external by not setting limits on the
abusivebehaviorsofothers).

Unconscious communication plays a key role in the transmission of the codependence

script from one generation to the next. One way transmission occurs is by transference
transactions, as in endogenous codependence when a woman becomes involved with a partner
who is abusive and/or has problems with alcohol and/or presents another serious psychological
problem. In such circumstances the woman replays the original situation lived in her childhood
familywithoneorbothparents.Anotherwaytransmissiontakesplaceisbymeansofprojective
identification;thisisoftenthecasewithexogenous codependencewhenthewomantakeson
theemotionalexperiencesofherpartnerasiftheywereherown.

Following Bernes script theory, Steiner (1974/1982) developed the concept of gender
scripts. Codependence, shown as submissive behavior in relationships, is both a cultural and a
genderscriptforwomen.Mexicancultureisprofoundlyaffectedbygenderscripts.Thescriptthat
has dominated in men is machismo a cult of virility the main attributes of which are an
exaggeratedaggressivenessandintransigenceamongmalesaswellasanarrogantsexualattitude
towardwomen.Forwomen,thescriptinvolvesacultofsuperiorfemininespiritualityovermales
aligned to submission, with female value awarded according to the amount they suffer. This
resultsinastrongambivalencetowardfemales,whoaresimultaneouslyworshipedassaintsand
devalued and given a secondary role (Medina Mora [SHOULD THIS BE HYPHENATED AS IN END
REFERENCES?](YES),1994).

At the 2003 ITAA/ALAT/MEXAT conference in Oaxaca, we who were there listened to

MarinaCastaeda(2002)talkaboutmachismointheMexicancultureaproblemthatalsoexists
inothercountries.Fromaculturalperspective,Iseemachismoandcodependenceastwosidesof
thesamecoin;inotherwords,theyinvolveasocialsymbiosisinwhichoneroleiscomplementary
oftheother.Codependenceisoneoftheproblemsrelatedtogenderissuesthataffectthemental
healthofwomenasaresultoftheinequityofpowerinrelationshipswiththeoppositesex.

TheCodependenceScript

Itisimportanttomakeanosologicdistinctionbetweendependentpersonalitydisorderas
defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSMIV) (American
Psychiatric Association, 1994) and codependency since they appear to involve similar problems.
Theformerreferstoapersonwhoalwaysreliesonsomeoneelseduetoalackofselfconfidence.
Thecodependentpersonisjusttheopposite;sheisoverlyresponsibleandworkshardwhiledoing
manythingsformanypeople;sheissomeonewhoalwaystriestobehelpfulandtoorganizeand
controlthelivesofpeoplearoundher.Codependentsarefrequentlytheoldestchildren,theones
whotakecontrolinthefamily.Suchanindividualusuallyreversesroleswithherneedyorchildish
parentsasawayofcontrollingcrisissituationsinthefamily,thusdiscountingherself(Whitfield,
1991)whiledevelopingasecondordersymbiosis(Shiff&Colls[SHOULDTHISBECOLLSORCOLL
ASINENDREFERENCES](COLL),1975).ThepassivitysyndromedescribedbySchiffetal.(1975)can
be observed clearly in codependent relationships. Passive behaviorssuch as doing nothing,
overadapting, becoming agitated or incapacitated or violentas well as the four levels of
discounting for resolving a problem (existence, significance, possibility of change, and personal
abilities)areusuallypresentincodependentrelationships. Thisiswhycodependencyhasbeen
comparedtopassiveaggressiveordependentpersonalitydisorderbecausepassivitytakesplace
aspartoftheunresolvedsymbiosis,readytobereenactedincurrentliferelationships.

Codependence is a combination of four types of scripts: individual, familial, gender, and

cultural.Scriptmessagesaretransmittedbyunconsciouscommunicationbetweentheegostates
offamilymembersfromonegenerationtothenext;itoccursfromtheP1ofmotherorfatherto
theP1ofthechild.Inthisway,thetransmissionofthescriptmessagesmayrunthroughseveral
generationsgoing back to grandparents, greatgrandparents, greatgreat grandparentsand
forwardtochildren,grandchildren,greatgrandchildren,andbeyond.

TransmissionofLifeScriptAcrossGenerations

InPrinciplesofGroupTreatment,Berne(1966)definedlifescriptasanunconsciouslife
plan [GIVE PAGE FOR QUOTE](228). Later, in What do You Say After You Say Hello? (Berne,
1972/1974),hegaveamoreextensivedefinition:[Ascriptis]alifeplan(BASEDONADECISION
TAKEN)inchildhood,reinforcedbytheparents,justifiedbysubsequentevents,andculminatingin
achosenalternative[GIVEPAGEFORQUOTE](488).Inthesamebook,Berne(p.83)explaineda
processforscripttransmissionandsuggestedaskingpatientsthefollowingquestionsinorderto
obtain information about their scripts ancestral influences: What kind of life did your
grandparents live? He said that patients usually have three types of answers: ancestral pride,
idealization,andrivalry.

James(1984)extendedBernesexplanationsandmadesomeadditionstothetheory.He
statedthattheseanswersarewaysforpeopletofollowintheirgrandparentsfootsteps:Justas
children use their parents as models, they also identify with and model themselves after their
grandparents(p.22).


1.AncestralPride.Grandchildrenfeelproudabouttheirgrandparentslives.Whiletalking
abouttheirancestorsfeats,grandchildrenimaginesharingsimilarpersonalitycharacteristics.

2. Idealization. Frequently grandchildren idealize a grandparent because he or she was

more tender and sensitive than the childs own parents. James (1984) wrote, For some people
theirrelationshipwithagrandparentwassoimportantthattheyunconsciouslyseekoutaspouse
with characteristics similar to their favored grandparent and try to replicate this relationship in
theirmarriage(p.25).

3. Rivalry. This may occur when a grandchild competes with one of her or his parents,
diminishingtheparentsvaluebycomparinghimorherwithanidealizedgrandparent.

Berne (1972/1974) also described four basic ways in which scripts are passed from
grandparentstosucceedinggenerations:(1)inanundifferentiatedfashion,(2)whenlinkedbythe
sameinjunction,(3)whenscriptsalternatebetweensexes,and(4)whenscriptsskipgenerations.

1. A script is passed on in an undifferentiated fashion when grandparents treat all their

childreninthesamewayandeachreceivessimilarmessages.Itmightbethegrandmothertelling
allherdaughters,Becarefulwithmen,theyareallthesame,somethingshedecidedbasedon
her experience with her disloyal husband. At the same time, she may be telling their sons, Be
careful, dont give women either all your love or all your money. When these children become
adults,theyrepeatthesamemessagestotheirchildren,thusfosteringdistrustbetweenthesexes
andpotentialconflictsincouplerelationshipsamongherdescendants.

2. Scripts can be linked by the same injunction and passed on from generation to
generation. This may happen when children are treated in a different way based on a specific
characteristic.AnexamplewouldbeparentswithlowincomewhoenableaDontThinkinjunction
intheirdaughtersbyrestrictingopportunitiesforprofessionaleducationtomen.

3. Sometimes scripts alternate between sexes. An example of this was a female patient
whofeltveryangryafterhersisterdied.Analyzingherscript,sherememberedhavingheardthat
herpaternalgrandmothercommittedsuicide.Throughtherapyshebecameawarethatherfather,
an alcoholic, had always been depressed and showed a lack of interest in life. Upon asking her
mother,thepatientdiscoveredthathersisterdiedofanoverdoseofthefathersantidepressant
pills.[SEEMYLETTERABOUTARELEASEFORTHISCASEMATERIAL]

4. At other times, scripts skip generations. For example, Janes grandmother always said
she was a widow. Jane came to therapy feeling confused because her mother strongly rejected
Jane after finding out she was pregnant. Janes boyfriend was a married man. Trying to rescue
Jane, the grandmother, full of shame, finally disclosed her lifelong family secret: She never
married,andJanesmotherwasrejectedbyherfather,whowasamarriedman.Unconsciously,
Jane was expressing the family secret by repeating her grandmothers script. [SEE LETTER
REGARDINGRELEASE]

TransmissionofScriptMechanisms

Berne(1972/1974)wrote,Themostintricatepartofscriptanalysisinclinicalpracticeis
tracingbacktheinfluencesofthegrandparents(p.318).Ashappenswithotherlifescripts,the
codependence script may be transmitted to subsequent generations. This occurs through some
specificmechanismsbasedonaprocessofunconsciouscommunication.

Novellino(1990)[ADDTOENDREFERENCES](SEEADDITIONTOENDREFERENCES),quoting
Malan,describedunconsciouscommunicationasanapparentlyirrelevantepisodethatparallels
another significant situation that the patient wants to express without realizing it (p. 171). He
[WHODOESHEREFERTOHERE?](NOVELLINO)saysthatintreatmentthesehiddenmessagescan
bedecodedbythepatientwiththehelpofinterpretationsofferedbythepsychotherapist.

Unconscious communication also occurs in families. In everyday life, through verbal and
nonverbalinput,parents givemessagestotheirchildrenthatparallelothersignificantsituations
fromtheirownexperienceandhistory,frequentlyrelatedtofamiliar[SHOULDTHISBEFAMILIAL?]
(YES)scriptissues.Thesehiddenmessagesusuallyappearinthechildrensadultlifeasrepetitive
behaviorsorrelationshippatternsthatmightbedifficulttounderstand.Thesemessagescanalso
bedecodedduringatherapyprocess.

Based on my research and clinical experience, I suggest four main mechanisms for
understanding unconscious transmission of script from generation to generation: ulterior
transactions, psychological games, transference psychodynamics, and projective identification.
The analysis of these mechanisms in the clienttherapist relationship can be useful for decoding
thehiddenmessagesandbreakingthegenerationalchain,thuspreventingthetransmissionofthe
samescripttothenextgeneration.

1.Ulterior Transactions. According to Berne (1961), ulterior transactions occur at two

levels simultaneously: the social and the psychological. His third rule of communications states
thatthebehavioraloutcomeofanulteriortransactionisdeterminedatthepsychologicalnotthe
sociallevel.Throughthesetransactions,scriptmessagesarepassedunconsciouslyfromparentsto
theirchildren,thelatterofwhomendupactingoutthehiddenpsychologicalmessage.Inalcoholic
families,itiscommontofindoneofthechildrenadoptingarescuerroleasawaytorespondto
theunspokenneedsofhisorherparents.

Anotherexampleofunconscioustransmissionofscriptinvolvesshamefulsituationsfrom
the lives of previous generations that are usually kept as secrets. These family secrets are
commonly transmitted nonverbally by means of ulterior transactionstone of voice, gestures,
attitudes,andfacialexpressionsalthoughsometimestheyaretransmittedwithwordsorsilences
intendedtoapproveordisapproveofspecificbehaviors.

Bradshaw (1995) affirms that families are as sick as their secrets. Family secrets refer to
unknownknowledge,somethingpeopleknowwithoutawarenessbecausetheyarehookedinto
theunresolvedemotionsencodedinthefamilycommunicationthroughulteriortransactions.The
family code determines the scale [NOT SURE WHAT YOU MEAN HERE BY SCALE, RANGE?] (YES,
RANGEISFINE)ofmerits,advantages,obligations,responsibilities,debts,guilts,andresentments
as learned reactions grounded in the family history. The way to express this knowledge is by
acting out the family script behavior, as in the case of families in which several generations of
singleteenagemembersbecomepregnant.
7


Genderscriptsshowingwaysofthinking,feeling,andbehavingsuchasmachismoand
codependenceare also encoded in the cultural script. Ancelin Schtzenberger (1993/1998)
recalledMargaretMeadsaying,Thebasicthingsinanycultureandfamilygowithoutsaying.The
most important things are taken for granted, never clearly stated, leaving you to guess them
throughwaysoflife,hints,ornonverbalcommunication(p.18).

2.PsychologicalGames.Berne(1966)definedagameasaseriesofulteriortransactions
with a gimmick, leading to a welldefined payoff (p. 364). Ancelin Schtzenberger (1993/1988)
affirmsthatallpsychologicalrelationaleventsaremotivatedbythedoublestructureuponwhich
theyarebuilt:themanifestbehavioralstructureandthehiddenobligationstructure(p.27).This
is exactly what transactional analysts mean by games. Psychological games contain a hidden
message, an unconscious wish to understand or give meaning to an unresolved issue from the
past,evenwhentheintentionofthesocialtransactionappearsassomethingdifferent.

For the codependent individual, the typical game is Im Only Trying to Help You. This
gameservesasawaytocontinuerepeatingrescuerscriptbehaviorthatisusedtoavoidfeelings
of guilt related to the obligation of being the responsible person in a chaotic situation. As in
every game, the roles eventually change so that the codependent person ends up playing
Persecutor at some times and usually ends as a Victim while alternating these roles with her
partner.

3.TransferencePsychodynamics.InTransactionalAnalysisinPsychotherapy,Berne(1961)
affirmed that scripts belong in the realm of transference phenomena (p. 116). Moiso (1985)
defined a transference relationship as a relationship in which the patient, in order to
reexperience parentchild or primitive object relationships projects onto the therapist his own
ParentalEgoStates(p.194).

Transference is not restricted to psychotherapeutic relationships; it also occurs in other

close relationships in which the emotional bonds are strong, such as a couple relationship. The
transference relationship contains the emotional tone involved in the original psychodynamic
relationship experienced with parents in childhood. This way, through a series of transference
relationships,familystoriesarerepeatedfromonegenerationtothenext.

4.Projective Identification. Projective identification is a defense mechanism described by

Klein (1975/1994). Laplanche and Pontalis (1968/1987) defined it as a mechanism translated by
fantasiesinwhichthepersonintroduceshisorherself,totallyorinpart,ontotheobject(other
person) for purposes of hurting, possessing, or controlling (p. 189). By means of this process, a
person projects onto another person his or her unpleasant and unacceptable feelings, thus
provokingintheotheranexperienceofthosesamefeelings.Asaresult,theformercanblameor
devaluethelatter.

Thismechanismoccursfrequentlyincodependentrelationshipswithouttheawarenessof
the participants. It functions similarly to the transmission of certain viruses, like some venereal
diseases, where the bearer does not show symptoms and the couple only manifests it after
becominginfected.

Clarkson (1993), quoting Hinshelwood, described projective identification as a complex

clinicaleventofaninterpersonaltype:onepersondisownshisfeelingsandmanipulativelyinduces
theotherintoexperiencingthem(p.180).
8


Basedontheoutcomeofulteriortransactions,ConwayandClarkson(1987)discussedthe
importanceofthepsychologicallevelincommunications.Theysuggestedthatulteriormessages
may have the force of hypnotic inductions when the persons Adult is decommissioned. An
example of this process involves women who repetitively choose partners who, after a while,
change their loving behavior and start rejecting them, just like the womans father did in
childhood.Anotherexampleisawomanwhooverandoverbeginsarelationshipwithamanwho
eventuallybecomesaproblematicpartner.

Schore (1994, p. 465) used the work of Melanie Klein to explain the importance of
understanding projective identification in psychotherapy with individuals presenting
developmental disorders. He described this mechanism as an interactive process in the mother
childrelationshipwheremothersunconsciousinformationisprojectedontoherchildren.

Projectiveidentificationseemstobethemainwayscriptsaretransmittedfromparentsto
children, and it is involved in all the other mechanisms described earlier: ulterior transactions,
games,andtransferencerelationships.Itfunctionsasavehiclefortransmittingrepressedfeelings
through several generations, especially feelings related to a history of abuse, negligence, or
abandonment in the family. This process frequently involves feelings of shame, and Bradshaw
(1988)affirmedthatinternalizedshameistheessenceofcodependence.

Erskine(1994)definedshameasaselfprotectiveprocessusedtoavoidtheaffectsthat
resultfromhumiliationandvulnerabilitytolossofcontactinrelationshipwithanotherperson(p.
90).Followingalongdiscussionaboutthe meaningofshame,Hyams(1994) said,Shameisthe
deep feeling in the body, mind, and soul tied to physical or psychological abuse and lack of
bondinginearlychildhood(p.256).

It thus makes sense that repressed feelings of shame are common in codependent
relationshipsandthattheyareavehicleforscripttransmissionaswasshowninthecasesoffamily
secretsdescribedearlier.Thesecretisusuallydisclosedbythepatientsactingouttheshameful
scriptstory.

English (1969) described the hotpotato game to explain the process of passing an
episcriptbackandforth.Anepiscriptisthetransmissionofahamarticscript(individual,familiar,
social, or cultural) from one person to another, a process in which the defense mechanism of
projectiveidentificationmaybeinvolved.

DescriptionoftheStudy

The study described here was divided into two phases. The first phase was the
constructionandvalidityoftheCodependenceInstrument(ICOD)forMexicanwomen(Noriega&
Ramos,2002).Thisisascreeningtestof30itemswithresponsesrangingfrom0(none)to3(alot).
The Kappa statistic of .8409 demonstrated a significant level of agreement between two
psychotherapists [AGREEMENT BY TWO THERAPISTS ON WHAT?] (AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE
DIAGNOSISMADEBYTWOPSYCHOTHERAPISTANDTHERESULTSOFTHETEST).Asfortestingthe
validity of the external criteria, the following values were identified [WAS A CERTAIN TEST OR
STATISTIC USEDTOOBTAINTHESEVALUES?IFSO, ITWOULDPROBABLYBE GOODTOINDICATE
THAT HERE AND REFERENCE IF APPROPRIATE](OF COURSE, THE STATISTICS USED FOR THIS
RESEARCH ARE BASED ON A COMPLEX RESEARCH METHODOLOGY NOT DESCRIBED IN THIS
ARTICLE,INTERESTEDREADERSWILLBEABLETOFINDITBYLOOKINGATTHEREFERENCEONTHE
TOP:(NORIEGA&RAMOS,2002):asensitivityof76%andaspecificityof69.05%.Thepreceding
statistics were obtained in order to clarify the score that would identify probable from
nonprobablecasesofcodependency;acutoffpointof32ormorewasestablishedfordetecting
casesofcodependencywithinacouplerelationship.

Afactoranalysiswithvarimaxrotationwasapplied,whichproducedfourfactorsthatwere
congruentwiththeconceptualdimensionsIobservedinmyclinicalpractice:(1)denialmechanism
(discounting), (2) incomplete identity development (unresolved secondary symbiosis), (3)
emotionalrepression(DontExist,DontFeel,DontThink,andDontBeaChildinjunctions),and
(4) rescuer orientation (Rescuer role in psychological games). Testing for internal consistency of
thisinstrumentshowedaCronbachTotalAlphaof.9201,whichmeansahighinternalconsistency.

Thesecondphaseofthestudywasperformedwitharandomsampleofwomen(N=830)
who attended a firstlevel consultation in a health center in Mexico City (NORIEGA, 2002).
Prevalence of codependence was obtained by way of an epidemiology crosssectional study.
FurtheranalysiswasconductedusinganOddsRatio(OR)asameasureofassociationbetweenthe
followingfactors(riskfactors)inrelationtocodependence:(1)earlyaffectivelosses,determined
by the following situations during childhood: death or abandonment of a parent, divorce or
separation of parents, neglect by parents, and/or chronic physical or mental illness of a close
relative; (2) firstborn daughter; (3) family history of abuse; (4) family history of alcoholism in
siblings,parents,andgrandparents;(5)partnerwithalcoholdependenceorwhoabusesalcohol;
(6) abusive partner in both variables of abuse analyzing physical, sexual, and emotional abuse
[THISLASTPHRASEISNTCLEAR,YOUSAYBOTHVARIABLES,WHICHMEANSTWOANDTHENYOU
LIST THREE. DO YOU JUST MEAN A PARTNER IS ABUSIVE EITHER PHYSICALLY, SEXUALLY OR
EMOTIONALLY?](WHAT I MEAN IS THAT PHYSICAL, SEXUAL AND EMOTIOAL ABUSE WAS
ANALYZED FOR BOTH VARIABLES RELATED TO ABUSE: FAMILY HISTORY OF ABUSE AND ABUSIVE
PARTNER);and(7)culturalgenderscriptssubdividedasfemininescripts(positive)andsubmissive
scripts(negative).

10

Results

Thedemographicdatashowedthatwomeninthestudyhadameanageof31yearswhile
theirpartnershadameanageof34.42.Theyhadbeenmarriedorlivingwiththeirpartnerforan
averageof10.15yearsandhadanaverageof2.13children.Theprevalenceofcodependencywas
estimatedat25%,whichmeansthatoneinfourwomenwere/areaffectedbycodependency.

Significant results were obtained from a multivariate models analysis. This is an

epidemiologicaltechniquethatallowscontrolforconfoundingandevaluationofinteractionsfora
host of variables with great statistical efficiency. The following results were obtained from the
analysisoftheaforementionedriskfactorsinrelationtocodependence:earlyaffectivelosses(OR
= 2.6); history of emotional abuse (OR = 2.3); father with alcohol problems (OR = 1.9); alcohol
dependenceinthepartner(OR=4.7);physicalabusebythepartner(OR=3.6);sexualabuseby
the partner (OR = 4.2); scripts of submission (OR = 7.6); and the womans illiteracy (OR = 3.7).
Womenwithalevelofschoolingequaltoorsuperiortocompletedsecondaryschoolpresenteda
protectionfactor(OR=0.544).

Anelevatedcorrelationwasalsofoundbetweenscriptsofsubmissionandalltheother
variablesinthestudy.Itwasobservedthatalargemajorityofwomenwhohadasubmissivescript
had suffered early childhood losses (70.4%), a higher frequency than for those without these
scripts(59.2%).Thecorrelationbetweenthealcoholvariablesandscriptsofsubmissionwasalso
interesting.Itwasfoundthatwomenwithsubmissivescriptsshowedahigherfrequencyofhaving
a father with alcohol problems (68.6%) than those without such scripts (61.7%). In addition,
submissive women more frequently reported having a partner who abused alcohol or was
probablyalcoholdependant(51.2%)comparedwiththosewhowerenotsubmissive(38.8%).

Regarding the independent variables related to abuse problems, within the submissive
group, more women were found with an abusive partner (85.9%) compared with those without
this script (74.1%). In the same way, the submissive women reported a greater history of
emotional abuse (32.7%) than those who were not submissive (19.7%). By means of this
correlation, it was also possible to observe that within the submissive group, almost half of the
women were cases of codependency (47.8%), a much larger percentage than in the group of
womenwhowerenotsubmissive(10.0%).

11

Discussion

Thedataproducedbymeansofthisanalysisshowedanurgentneedtocontinuestudying
thecodependencedisorder.Thisdisorderisaproblemrelatedtoaculturalscriptthatpromotes
inequality of power between genders; it affects both men and women because it prevents the
establishment of healthy couple relationships. This research is the first attempt to develop a
scientific line [WHAT DO YOU MEAN HERE BY LINE, A PROCESS? EXPECTATION? A MODEL?
TRADITION?](ASCIENTIFICRESEARCHLINEAREAGROUPOFPEOPLEDOINGAFOLLOWUPABOUT
ASPECIFICRESEARCHSUBJECT)inMexicoforthestudyofcodependence.Theresultsshowedthat
one in four women is affected by codependence, an alarming figure given the fact that this
problemisnotyetrecognizedasamentaldisorder.

Transactional analysis theory proved to be a useful tool for understanding the

psychodynamics underlying codependence. Bernes theoretical concepts of scripts, script
transmission, games, ego states, and transactions have been recognized by the scientific
community in Mexico as providing both an indepth and a pragmatic way to understand
personalitydevelopmentandhumanrelationships.

The epidemiological design used in this research required that variables be rigorously
selectedandcontrolledinordertoproducehardquantitativedata.Aftercompletingthefirststeps
of the research, significant data had been gathered to demonstrate the transmission across
generations of the codependence script: 43.7% of the women who were identified as
codependents had grandparents with problems of alcohol abuse. This represented a 1.3 (OR)
higherriskfordevelopingcodependencethanforwomenwhosegrandparentsdidnothavethat
problem. However, the design of the study prevented a more indepth inquiry into the family
history of the women interviewed. Nevertheless, evidence of a history of alcohol abuse in
grandparents and parents of the women who scored higher than 30 on the screening test was
observed.Forfutureresearchabouttransmissionofthescriptfromparentsandgrandparentsto
their children, I recommend designing a qualitative study that would utilize indepth interviews,
focusgroups,andasmallersample.

As I said earlier, a family history of alcoholism was the variable used to study the
transmissionofthecodependencescriptfromonegenerationtothenextwithcodependenceas
theobjectofstudy.Thedataobtainedinthisstudyshowedthatwomenwithafatherwhoabused
alcoholhavetwice(OR=1.9)theriskofdevelopingcodependenceoverthosewhodonothavean
alcoholicfather.Itisinterestingtonotethat76.8%ofthewomenwithafatherwas(WHO)abused
alcohol also had grandparents who were alcohol abusers. Nevertheless, the grandparents
variables did not show significant results in the multivariate analysis. This might be due to a
memorybiasinthewomenwhowereinterviewed,orperhapsthequestionnairesusedwerenot
indepthenoughtogatherthenecessarydataforgoingdeeperintotheproblem.

As the study showed, the higher risk factor for developing codependence was a
submissivefemininescript.Theresultsinthemultivariateanalysisshowedthatwomenwitha
traditionalnegativefemininescripthavea7.6timeshigherriskfordevelopingcodependencethan
thosewithoutthiskindofprogramming.

12

Thisvariablealsocorrelatedwithalltheotherriskfactors.Thisresultisimportantbecauseitraises
questions about the common belief that to be a woman is, in itself, a risk factor for
codependence.Thevariabletraditionalfemininepositivescriptdidnotshowanysignificantrisk,
which shows that the real problem associated with codependence is a negative female cultural
scriptthatleadswomentoplayasubmissiveroleinsociety.

Women with early losses in childhoodsuch as death, separation, abandonment, or

neglectfrommother,father,orboth,orthechronicillnessofacloserelativeemergedasarisk
factor for codependence that was 2.6 times higher than for those who had not suffered those
losses.

Thevariablefirstborndaughterwasstudiedtoseeiftherewasarelationshipbetween
birth order, codependence, and the Dont Be a Child injunction. The results obtained in the
multivariate analysis were not significant for the firstborn child factor, but the questionnaires
from the entire sample of codependent women showed a risk 3.8 times higher for presenting
behaviorsrelatedtothisinjunction(OR=3.8).Thismeansthatforcodependentwomen,acoping
defense in childhood was growing up fast, which implies exchanging roles with one or both
parents.Thisleadstoanalterationinnormalchildhooddevelopment,aproblemthatcanaffect
notonlythefirstbornchild,butanychildreninthefamily.

Thewomen withpartnerswhowerealcoholic,asopposedtoalcoholabusers,showeda
risk 4.7 times higher for codependence than those who did not have an alcoholic partner. It is
interesting the way these data coincide with the type of partners described by the members of
Alanongroups.

Women with a family history of emotional abuse showed a risk 2.6 times higher for
developingcodependencethanthosewhowerenotabusedinchildhood.Itisimportanttonote
that the variables of a history of physical abuse and a history of sexual abuse did not lead to
significantdatainthemultivariateanalysis.Thisexplainstherelationshipamongthethreekindsof
abuse,wheretheemotionalabuseisalwayspresentandthereforeaddsgreaterweight.

Womenwithanabusivepartnerbothsexuallyabusive(OR=4.3)andphysicallyabusive
(OR=3.6)showedahigherriskforcodependence.Inthesecases,theemotionalabusewasnot
significant; this could explain why adults are less vulnerable than children to emotional abuse.
However, this information needs to be researched further, because other studies show severe
emotionaldamageinwomenexposedtoemotionalabuse(Chang,1996).

Analyzingthedemographicvariables,onlyilliteratewomenwhichmeanttheydidnot
know how to read or writeshowed a risk 3.7 times higher for codependence. The variable
education, which referred to those women who had finished at least high school, showed a
protectivefactor(.544).Thisdataconfirmsthatalackofeducationproducesmajorvulnerability
for abuse; it also suggests that education is a protective factor for the prevention of
codependency.

13

Conclusions

Codependency is not just a problem associated with alcoholism. It is a relationship

disorder also associated with other stressful factors. Codependence is an individual, familial,
social,andculturalscriptthataffectsmostlywomenandiscontinuallytransmittedfromparentsto
children.
Theresearchdescribedinthisarticlereaffirmstheneedtodeepenthestudyofcodependencein
Mexico and to collaborate with international organizations from other countries that are doing
research on this topic. My hope is that the scientific community will continue to research
codependenceindepth;itisamentalhealthproblemthat,despitethedamagethatitcauses,has
come to be considered normal in many families and societies and even among many of the
womenwhosufferfromit.

Gloria Noriega Gayol, Ph.D., is a Teaching and Supervising Transactional Analyst (clinical)
andthedirectorofInstitutoMexicanodeAnlisisTransaccional(IMAT)inMexicoCity.Sheisalsoa
pastpresidentoftheITAA.Pleasesendreprintsrequeststo:Dr.GloriaNoriega.,Agrarismo21,Col.
Escandn.Mxico,D.F.C.P.11800.;email:[email protected].

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