transactional analysis

noun

A psychotherapeutic system involving analysis of relationships and interactions in terms of ego states that correspond to the roles of parent (critical and nurturing), adult (rational), and child (intuitive and dependent).

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Meanings

nountransactional analysis (countable and uncountable, plural transactional analyses)

plural transactional analyses

  1. countableuncountableA psychotherapeutic system involving analysis of relationships and interactions in terms of ego states that correspond to the roles of parent (critical and nurturing), adult (rational), and child (intuitive and dependent).

    Transactional analysis is best done in therapy groups; or conversely, it may be said that the natural function of therapy groups is transactional analysis.

    1979, Eric Berne, Transactional Analysis, →ISBN, page 87
    1 more example

    In transactional analyses, clients rely upon the analyst's advice and opinions in order to negotiate, structure, and consummate actual commercial transactions.

    1998, Robert F. Reilly, Robert P. Schweihs, Valuing Intangible Assets, →ISBN, page 30

Origin

Coined by Eric Berne to reflect the roots in psychoanalysis and the transactions that are the target of the therapy.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

transactional analysis. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/transactional%20analysis

MLA

“transactional analysis.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/transactional%20analysis. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “transactional analysis,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/transactional%20analysis.

Source: transactional analysis on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.