A clinical formulation, also known as case formulation, case conceptualisation, and problem formulation, is a theoretically based explanation or conceptualisation of the information obtained from a clinical assessment. It offers a hypothesis about the cause and nature of the presenting problems and is considered an adjunct or alternative approach to the more categorical approach of psychiatric diagnosis. In clinical practice, formulations are used to communicate a hypothesis and provide a framework for developing the most suitable treatment approach. It is most commonly used by mental health professionals and is deemed to be a core component of that profession. Clinical psychologists, mental health nurses, social workers, and some psychiatrists use this formulation based on specific psychological frameworks.
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↑ Dawson, David L.; Moghaddam, Nima G. (2016). "Formulation in action: an introduction" (PDF). In Dawson, David L.; Moghaddam, Nima G. (eds.). Formulation in action: applying psychological theory to clinical practice. Berlin; New York: Walter de Gruyter. pp. 3–8 [7]. ISBN 9783110470994. OCLC 932645602.
↑ Basseches, Michael; Mascolo, Michael F. (2009). "Psychotherapy as a developmental process: implications and future directions for psychotherapy research, practice, and training". Psychotherapy as a developmental process. New York: Routledge. pp. 283–312. ISBN 9780805857306. OCLC 244063508.
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↑ Grossl, Alyssa B.; Reese, Robert J.; Norsworthy, Larry A.; Hopkins, Nathaniel B. (2014). "Client feedback data in supervision: Effects on supervision and outcome". Training and Education in Professional Psychology. 8 (3): 182–188. doi:10.1037/tep0000025. ISSN 1931-3926. Archived from the original on 2025-05-30.
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