An action research project aimed at raising social consciousness amongst women attending transactional analysis group psychotherapy in Brazil

Abstract

Based on awareness of material by Gramsci (1978, 1982) on hegemony, Freire (1979a, 1979b) on cooperative contact, and Steiner (1975) on radical psychiatry, action research methodology was used by the researcher, who was also a psychotherapist, with 12 women attending two ongoing weekly psychotherapy groups in Brazil in order to raise their social consciousness of culturally-based oppression of women, particularly relating to work; to apply life script analysis as a therapeutic intervention within the groups; and to facilitate recognition by the women of the benefits of cooperative contact when seeking to liberate themselves from oppression.  Individual structured interviews were conducted and the data from these was discussed within the groups, leading to the development of a model containing 6 levels of consciousness of oppression.  Examples of oppression identified by the women are provided, with only 17% relating directly to sexual discrim-ination at work.  Although the research was conducted many years ago (1987-1989), it is shown that problems still exist and the research method-ology could usefully be applied elsewhere.