ABSTRACT
Berne identified four methods of diagnosis needed for an accurate diagnosis of ego states: behavioural diagnosis; social diagnosis; historical diagnosis; and phenomenological diagnosis. Social diagnosis in therapy involves use of the therapist's countertransference. The use of the therapist's countertransference can add a degree of potency to the social diagnosis; however, the degree of self-awareness of the therapist making the diagnosis is absolutely critical. Diagnosis can also require the analysis and interpretation of vague, amorphous feeling, particularly when diagnosing early Child ego states. With such early Child ego states, the client is unlikely to have a specific memory to verify historical diagnosis. Subjective, phenomenological diagnosis of the Adult ego state is also difficult in that most people would assume that most of the time they are in Adult ego state.
