The Importance of Compliance in Control Mastery Theory

ABSTRACT

Compliance, according to Control Mastery Theory, is an emotional, cognitive, and behavioral response to trauma that reflects the beliefs that “you deserve what you get” and “you get what you deserve.” Patients “comply” when they 1) believe their distorted pathogenic beliefs are true, 2) act as if these beliefs were true, 3) reenact in present relationships traumatic, pathological interactions experienced earlier in childhood, and 4) tend to protect parents by justifying their hurtful behavior.

Compliance results from the fact that children tend to believe parents as absolute authorities. Because of family loyalty and a wish to protect parents, children may assume the worst about themselves in dysfunctional families. Then they may act in ways that make their negative self-image true, consistent with the notion of a “self-fulfilling prophecy”. Based on these deeply embedded negative self-images and self-destructive roles, children may repeat these patterns long into adult life. Along with “pathological identifications”, the concept of “compliance” helps clinicians understand the origins of many self-destructive behaviors and why patients are so loathe to relinquish them. Clinical examples will illustrate the usefulness of understanding the role of compliance as well as treatment techniques.

Acknowledgments

The author would like to thank Peter Schumacher and Victoria Beckner for their valuable assistance in reviewing this paper. The findings in this submission have not been previously published or submitted elsewhere. All cases presented have been disguised to conceal the identity of the patients. All procedures have been done consistent with the principles of research ethics of the APA.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.