Transactional analysis

Transactional analysis is a theory of personality and a paradigm in psychotherapy that began in the 1950s in the United States. Its founder was Eric Berne, a psychoanalyst who noticed that analysing a patient's inner conflicts alone might not be enough to conduct effective, reasonably timed psychotherapy, since it does not take into account the social aspect of an individual's functioning (Berne, 1961).

According to Eric Berne, transactional analysis is:

• a system of psychotherapy based on the analysis of individual transactions and their series that occur during a therapeutic session;
• a theory of personality based on examining particular ego states;
• an analysis of individual transactions shown on transactional diagrams — so-called transactional analysis proper (Jagieła, 2012, p. 24).

Transactional analysis draws on approaches such as psychoanalysis, the psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioural paradigms, as well as cognitive psychology and the theory of interpersonal communication. It offers a coherent, complete explanation of how an individual's personality takes shape, how it functions in interpersonal relationships, how a person makes certain decisions, and how the course of their life unfolds as a particular story (script) with a particular ending.

Beyond theory, transactional analysis offers a set of techniques and methods that support change in personality, relationships with others, and the script itself. Its principles are used to diagnose (including self-diagnose) problems, as well as to plan interventions — both in therapeutic work (individual, couples, family and group) and in education, counselling and organisational settings.

Philosophical foundations

The patient is treated as a full subject, in line with the philosophical foundations of transactional analysis, which holds that:

• every person, in their essence, is OK;
• every individual, according to their capabilities, is able to think;
• people decide their own fate, and these decisions can change, since people are capable of taking responsibility for their own lives (Jagieła, 2012, p. 24).

Who it's suitable for

Transactional analysis is a universal approach that can be used both with mentally healthy individuals — adults and children alike (communication is adapted to the stage of cognitive development) — as well as with people with intellectual disabilities and those suffering from mood disorders (depression, anxiety disorders), personality disorders, mental illnesses (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder), and with people struggling with addiction.

Effectiveness and applications

Transactional analysis psychotherapy is open to methods and techniques from other therapeutic schools, which allows therapists to seek the optimal way of working with each patient. For this reason, it is classified as an integrative approach.

Transactional analysis psychotherapy is subject to systematic scientific research confirming its effectiveness. Results are regularly published in the International Journal of Transactional Analysis Research and the Transactional Analysis Journal, as well as other scientific journals in the field of psychotherapy, covering cases involving depression, PTSD, schizophrenia, mixed anxiety-depressive disorders, addiction and co-dependency, phobias, and patients at risk of suicide.

Transactional analysis is also used in psychological counselling aimed at helping people resolve specific difficulties in parental, marital, partner or peer relationships. It is also used in career counselling.

The goal of therapy: the autonomous person

In transactional analysis, mental health is synonymous with being an autonomous person — someone characterised by emotional flexibility, who makes responsible decisions about their own life, is spontaneous, self-aware, and capable of forming close relationships with others. The goals of psychotherapy are often formulated around these very traits and skills.

References

Berne, E. (1961). Transactional Analysis in Psychotherapy. New York: Grove Press.
Berne, E. (1976). Beyond Games and Scripts. New York: Grove Press.
Berne, E. (1998). Dzień dobry… i co dalej? Poznań: Dom Wydawniczy Rebis.
Berne, E. (1999). W co grają ludzie? Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN.
Cierpiałkowska, L., Gawęcka, H. (2005). Wybrane zagadnienia analizy transakcyjnej. Gestalt, 62, 5–28.
Frączek, A., Smelkowska, A. (2018). Materiały Studium Analizy Transakcyjnej.
Hafford, D., Widdowson, M. (2014). Quantitative and qualitative outcomes of transactional analysis psychotherapy with male armed forces veterans in the UK presenting with posttraumatic stress disorder. International Journal of Transactional Analysis Research, 5, 35–65.
Harris, T. (2009). Ja jestem OK – Ty jesteś OK. Poznań: Rebis.
Jagieła, J. (2012). Słownik analizy transakcyjnej. Częstochowa: Wydawnictwo im. Stanisława Podobińskiego Akademii im. Jana Długosza.
Santorski, J. (ed.) (1993). ABC pomocy psychologicznej. Warszawa: Jacek Santorski & Co.
Steiner, C. (1974). Scripts People Live. New York: Grove Press.
Stewart, I., Joines, V. (2012). Analiza transakcyjna dzisiaj. Poznań: Dom Wydawniczy Rebis.
Szkoła Analizy Transakcyjnej, centrumat.eu/szkola-analizy-transakcyjnej
Widdowson, M. (2014). Transactional analysis psychotherapy for a case of mixed anxiety & depression: A pragmatic adjudicated case study. International Journal of Transactional Analysis Research, 5, 66–76.
Widdowson, M. (2016). Transactional Analysis for Depression: A step-by-step treatment manual. New York: Routledge.