Transactional Analysis: A Fundamental Approach and Modern Applications in Psychotherapy
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35365/eass.26.1.09Keywords:
Transactional Analysis, Psychotherapy, Ego States, Communication, Eric BerneAbstract
This study examines Eric Berne’s Transactional Analysis (TA) within the context of psychotherapy, aiming to systematically explore the fundamental concepts of the theory, its historical development, and its intersections with contemporary therapeutic approaches. In this context, the study does not remain limited to a theoretical framework but also examines the role of Transactional Analysis in explaining the interaction between internal processes and interpersonal dynamics. Its connections with contemporary psychotherapy approaches are also addressed from a broader perspective. TA is defined as a humanistic psychotherapy model that explains personality through three core ego states—Parent, Adult, and Child—and analyzes interpersonal communication patterns. This article provides a comprehensive, literature-based evaluation of TA’s principal components, including ego states, types of transactions, life script, racket system, time structuring, and Karpman’s drama triangle. The research was conducted using a qualitative document analysis method, and primary sources published between 1950 and 2025 were examined through content analysis techniques. Within this process, the relationships between the core concepts of the theory were thematically organized, and the role of TA in therapeutic change was interpreted. This approach aims to make the model more comprehensible in both theoretical and practical terms. Findings indicate that TA significantly contributes to the development of individuals’ awareness, autonomy, communication skills, and emotional maturity. In addition, TA appears to support the restructuring of self-perception, the development of relational awareness, and the establishment of more functional communication patterns. The findings also indicate that the theory can be applied across different psychological contexts. The study concludes that TA possesses a broad range of applicability across psychotherapy, education, and organizational psychology.
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