Validity and Reliability Study of the Turkish Version of the Transactional Analysis Scale: A Sample of Nurse Managers

Aim: This study aimed to adapt the Transactional Style Inventory for Managers (TSI-M) into Turkish and evaluate its psychometric properties among nurse managers. Background: Effective communication is a core competency for nurse managers, influencing both staff satisfaction and the quality of healthcare delivery. Since communication behaviors are shaped by ego states, reflecting internalized thoughts, feelings, and experiences, a valid and reliable tool is essential to assess these states in managerial contexts. Methods: The TSI-M was translated into Turkish using a standardized back-translation procedure and reviewed by a panel of experts. The sample consisted of 230 nurse managers (77% female) working in various healthcare institutions. Validity and reliability were assessed using item analysis, the content validity index (CVI), and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Results: CFA supported the construct validity of the scale, yielding acceptable model fit indices (χ ²/df = 3.11; GFI = 0.90; AGFI = 0.90; CFI = 0.94; RMSEA = 0.06; RMR = 0.06). Internal consistency was high for the total scale (Cronbach's α = 0.93) and good to be acceptable across subscales: parent (α = 0.895), adult (α = 0.812), and child (α = 0.836). While the parent and child ego state subscales demonstrated strong convergent and discriminant validity, the adult ego subscale showed slightly below-threshold composite reliability (CR = 0.692) and weaker discriminant validity. Conclusions: The Turkish version of the TSI-M is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing ego states in nurse managers and holds practical value for leadership development and communication training in healthcare management.