Workshop - Formulation

Question 1

Define what a formulation is

Answer 1

Formulation is a tentative explanation or hypothesis of the way an
individual with a certain disorder or condition comes to present at a
particular point in time. A number of factors may be involved in
understanding the etiology of the disorder or condition.

These may
include biological, psychological and systemic factors.

Question 2

What are some types of formulation?

Answer 2

• Diagnosis driven – often strongly
  evidenced links
• Longitudinal using specific, evidenced
  ideas and links
• Psychodynamic or psychoanalytically
  informed
• Systemic – often looking at interaction
  patterns
• More narrative approaches

Question 3

What are the 5 Ps to give a simple structure to formulation?

Answer 3

Presenting
* What are
the
difficulties
now?

Predisposing
* What
factors led
to this from
past?

Precipitating
* What
triggered
this
problem
recently?

Perpetuating
* What is
keeping it
going? (What is maintaining it)

Protective
* What is
going well?

Question 4

What are examples of protective factors

Answer 4

Social support,
If someone is liked then social intelligence

Question 5

What are limitations of this type of formulation?

Answer 5

• What do you think?
• Predominately = lack of underpinning unifying theory
• Subjective – different psychologists may emphasise different elements
  => ?any better than a diagnosis
• This is just one type of formulation. Sofia Gameiro is going to take you
  through a CBT specific formulation of OCD, which is based on a
  specific underpinning theoretical approach and focuses on a diagnosis