Time for a Change? A Review of Transactional Analysis Psychotherapy Training and Examinations With Consideration to Adopting a More Inclusive and Nondiscriminatory Approach

Abstract

This essay reviews current training, examination, and assessment structures and processes in transactional analysis (TA) following on from the research article by Baker and Widdowson, which concluded that more research and a deeper understanding of neurodiversity is necessary in order to consider appropriate support for trainees and qualified practitioners in TA. Additional evidence drawn from live research at the 2021 online United Kingdom Association for Transactional Analysis (UKATA) Conference is considered by the author alongside the experience of her supervisees and colleagues as well as her own experience as a Provisional Teaching and Supervising Transactional Analyst (PTSTA), written examination coordinator, and written and oral examination evaluator.

Keywords:

• Assessment
• training
• testing
• creativity
• discrimination
• shame
• dyslexia
• hierarchy
• power
• examinations

Acknowledgment

All identifying features of research participants’ contributions were removed unless specific and prior agreement was obtained.

Disclosure statement

The author declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Additional information

Funding

The author received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Notes on contributors

Jan Baker

Jan Baker is a Certified Transactional Analyst (psychotherapy) and Provisional Teaching and Supervising Transactional Analyst (psychotherapy), MSc (P), UKCP Reg. Psychotherapist with a Dip. TA Supervision. She has a private clinical and supervision practice in North Lincolnshire, United Kingdom, and can be contacted at 42 High Street, Broughton, Brigg, DN20 0JA, United Kingdom; email: [email protected].