Case Formulation - Longitudinal B

The Case Formulation - Longitudinal B worksheet explores how historical factors influence here-and-now experiences.

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Offers theory, guidance, and prompts for mental health professionals. Downloads are in Fillable PDF format where appropriate.

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An editable Microsoft PowerPoint version of the resource.

Overview

Case conceptualizations (formulations) help therapists and clients come to a shared understanding of a problem. The Case Formulation - Longitudinal B worksheet is designed to help clients explore the interplay between early life experiences and current difficulties.

Why Use This Resource?

Case formulation is vital in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for understanding the origin and maintenance of a client's difficulties. This resource supports:

  • Development of a shared understanding between client and therapist.
  • Situating difficulties in a broader life context.
  • Clarifying how ongoing patterns are linked to deep-seated beliefs.

Key Benefits

Structured

Provides a clear framework for making sense of difficulties.

Broad

Places problems in the context of historical and ongoing factors.

Clear

Highlights connections between core beliefs and current problems.

Collaborative

Therapists and clients work together to create a shared understanding.

Who is this for?

Depression

Explains the origins and factors that contribute to low mood.

Low self-esteem

Offers insights into issues related to self-worth and provides historical context.

Anxiety disorders

Explores whether anxiety comes from and how it is maintained.

Integrating it into your practice

01

Collaborate

Suggest developing a formulation with the client.

02

Complete

Review and complete each section of the formulation diagram.

03

Reflect

Help the client reflect on the completed formulation and make further revisions.

04

Plan

Use the insights to inform and direct therapeutic interventions.

Theoretical Background & Therapist Guidance

Formulation is a key component of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and is considered essential to effective practice (Beck, 2011; Dudley & Kuyken, 2013; Muse et al., 2016). According to Kennerley and colleagues (2017), cognitive behavioral formulation seeks to describe clients’ current problems, explain how and why they might have developed, and identify processes that are hypothesized to maintain them using the cognitive behavioral model. In this way, formulation represents a bridge or crucible that combines CBT theory, research, and clients’ lived experiences (Kennerley et al., 2017; Kuyken et al., 2009).

Formulation in CBT is an active and dynamic process that begins at the outset of treatment and continues throughout (Beck, 2011). CBT therapists draw on different sources of information to inform and modify formulations during treatment, including client feedback and self-report, questionnaire responses, in-session interactions, responses to interventions, and awareness of the client’s sociocultural political context (Butler, 1998).

The central focus of this diagram is a cross-sectional formulation that explores the client's current thoughts, emotions, physical sensations, and behaviors. Above this section, there is an area dedicated to documenting the client's historical background. This information can offer insights into the reasons behind specific experiences in the present.

What's inside

  • An introduction to the resource.
  • Therapist guidance and helpful prompts for using the resource.
  • Key references and recommendations for further reading.
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FAQs

The goal is to identify connections between early life experiences and current thinking patterns to support insight, treatment planning, and intervention.
This worksheet uniquely combines cross-sectional analysis with longitudinal factors, offering a holistic view of the client's difficulties.
Start with discussing current experiences and gradually guide them towards exploring how past experiences influence present behaviors.

How This Resource Improves Clinical Outcomes

This resource enhances therapy by:

  • Developing a comprehensive understanding of clients' difficulties.
  • Informing treatment planning.
  • Identifying targets for intervention.
  • Enhancing client engagement in the formulation process.

References And Further Reading

  • Eells, T. D. (Ed.). (2011). Handbook of psychotherapy case formulation. Guilford Press.
  • Johnstone, L., & Dallos, R. (2013). Formulation in psychology and psychotherapy: Making sense of people's problems. Routledge.
  • Kuyken, W., Padesky, C. A., & Dudley, R. (2008). Collaborative case conceptualization: Working effectively with clients in cognitive-behavioral therapy. Guilford Press.
  • Persons, J. B. (2012). The case formulation approach to cognitive-behavior therapy. Guilford Press.
  • Tarrier, N., & Johnson, J. (Eds.). (2015). Case formulation in cognitive behaviour therapy: The treatment of challenging and complex cases. Routledge.