Kelly’s fixed role technique: what is it and how is it used in therapy?

A therapeutic approach developed by George Kelly based on constructivism.

Many times, when we have a problem or are suffering for some reason, looking at things from another perspective can help us find a solution. This is what George Kelly thought when he created the fixed role technique, framed within the theory of constructivism.This technique, framed within the theory of personal constructs and based on a constructivist approach to reality.

Constructivism states that reality is not something unique and immovable, but that it is constructed; there are as many realities as there are people in the world. Each person will create his or her own reality and give it his or her own personal meaning. The nuances are infinite.

In the following lines we will see the foundations of the constructivist psychology proposed by G. Kelly.

Kelly and the beginning of constructivism

George Kelly was an American psychologist who proposed the theory of personal constructs. According to this theory people construct the world on the basis of personal constructs, i.e., ways of attaching meaning to experiences.that is, ways of endowing experiences with meaning.

Thus, each person attributes to experience a certain meaning, the result of these constructs.

In order to know more and more about the world around us and to anticipate the consequences of what happens around us, we will have to adjust and modify our system of constructs. This will change with time and the experiences we acquire..

Origin of the fixed role technique

The fixed-role technique, also called fixed-role therapy, was proposed by Kelly in 1955, although he began to use it earlier, in the 1930s.

This technique is considered to be the most representative of the theory of personal constructsand is a useful tool to achieve therapeutic change.

Through this technique, the therapist constructs fictitious constructs specific fictitious personality roles for the patient, and the patient has to act out these rolesThe patient must act out these roles for approximately 2 weeks. Through this implementation of new roles, the patient experiences new constructs that will help him/her to achieve change.

It is important that the technique is acceptable to the patient so that therapist and patient can work together.

Phases of this therapeutic process

Let's look in more detail at the phases that make up the technique.

First, self-characterization is developed (which is also an evaluation technique proposed by Kelly in 1955). In this phase the therapist asks the patient to write a description of him/herself (usually a couple of pages in the third person). (usually a couple of pages in the third person); this is what Kelly calls a "character sketch".

The therapist then builds another description from this, called a "fixed role search." The patient must act out the new role or character for a set period of time (usually 2 weeks).

Thus, the patient will be confronted with playing a role to address the challenges, challenges and problems of his or her life, but from a different perspective.but from a different perspective. The fictitious personality (new role) will have a different name so that the patient can act it out without losing or compromising his or her identity.

The technique also includes homework assignments, which in this case will involve performing the fixed role in work or academic situations (outside of therapy).

In the final stage of the fixed-role technique, patient and therapist will an evaluation of the results, and the patient decides whether or not to keep some of the features represented.The patient is the one who decides whether or not to keep some of the characteristics represented.

In addition, in this last phase, a farewell letter is usually written to the fixed role character. This strategy allows to prepare the closing of the therapeutic intervention.

Characteristics of the technique

Within the therapy sessions, the patient should put the new role into practice (in addition to homework).

On the other hand, one way for the therapist to model the new role in the patient and for the latter to see a concrete situation from the perspective of another is to using role reversalwhereby the roles of the therapist and the patient are reversed. Thus, the patient represents the role of the therapist and vice versa; this allows the patient to explore reality from another point of view. Attitudes of exploration and experimentation will facilitate change.

The objective of the fixed-role technique is for the patient to rehearse in practice what it would be like to live without the problem he or she has (also called a dilemma), with the security and peace of mind that they will not be asked to eliminate it. In this way, if he feels the change as too threatening, he will be able to return to his usual way of functioning.

Finally, the patient is intended to be able to reorganize his previous construct system, to modify his personal constructs and to elaborate new ones, this time more functional.

Bibliographical references:

• Cloninger, S. (2002). Theories of personality. Mexico: Pearson Educación.
• Senra, J., Feixas, G. and Fernandes, E. (2005). Manual of intervention in implicative dilemmas. Revista de psicoterapia, 16(63/64), 179-201.