Cognitive case formulation.

This chapter provides an overview of cognitive case formulation, its purpose, and key areas of patient assessment that contribute to it. It reviews the extant empirical evidence for cognitive case formulation and shares the thoughts about its potential role in the newer cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) treatments. Case formulations tend to comprise the following elements, regardless of theoretical perspective: (a) a description of the presenting problem(s), (b) distal causal factors, (c) proximal precipitating factors, (d) factors maintaining the problem(s), (e) coping strengths and challenges, and (f) implications for treatment. Case formulation provides substantial guidance as therapy progresses, when a higher effort is required for therapists in integrating the information to formulate more complex and comprehensive inferences. It stands to reason that, as CBT evolves, the role of case formulation may also change. Recent developments in CBT include low-intensity CBT, transdiagnostic approaches, and mindfulness-based treatments. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved)