Case Formulation
Diagnosis and Treatment Approaches
Diagnostic Differential
What to Treat First and Why
Comorbid Presentation and Recommended Sequence of Treatment
100

What are The Four Questions of Case Formulation

 1. WHAT IS MAINTAINING THIS PRESENTATION?

2. WHY IS THIS MAINTAINING VARIABLE PERSISTING?

 3. WHAT DOES THIS PERSON NEED TO LEARN OR EXPERIENCE TO PRODUCE CHANGE? 

4. WHAT IS IN THE WAY OF THAT LEARNING?

100

What are 5 treatment approaches for Major Depressive Disorder/PDD?

What is behavioral activation, cognitive behavioral therapy-depression (CBT-D), interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT); Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy (CBASP), and or medical coordination

100

What would the primary differentials be for a client presenting with depressed mood and anhedonia 

MDD vs BPII vs PDD vs ADHD vs Hypothyroidism vs PTSD

100

Major Depressive Disorder is maintaining social withdrawal that looks like Social Anxiety, which do you treat first?

ADHD maintaining executive function failures that produces depression and anxiety, which do you treat first?

Depression is a secondary condition produced by PTSD, maintaining hypervigilance and avoidance, which do you treat first?

What is MDD; What is ADHD; What is PTSD

100

Client presenting with MDD and Anxiety disorder

What is treat simultaneously-both these disorders respond to overlapping treatment components

200

What are the 5 main domains we assess to assess why a variable/problem is presenting? 

1. Cognitive

2. Behavioral

3. Emotional/Physiological

4. Interpersonal

5. Biological/Historial

200

Which three diagnoses can be treated with CBT, the Intolerance of Uncertainty model, ERP, medication, and video feedback? 

What are GAD, Panic Disorder, and Social Anxiety Disorder

200

What would the primary differentials for a client presenting with excessive worry

What is GAD vs MDD vs social anxiety vs OCD vs ADHD

200

These diagnoses should be treated with first medication stabilization before psychotherapy

1. Bipolar

2. MDD, Severe: before intensive psychotherapy

3. PTSD with dissociation: before exposure-based treatment

200

Client presents with MDD and PTSD

What is PTSD first or simultaneous; depression is frequently secondary to PTSD 

300

Should you have a complete case formulation at intake? True or False?

False

300

Specific phobias may be treated with in vivo hierarchy. Can you give an example of what that would look like? 

1. Car Accident/Trauma: Sitting in a parked car

2. Contamination OCD: Touch a doorknob in public and not immediately wash hands

3. Agoraphobia: Walking to the mailbox

4. Social Anxiety/Public Speaking: Ask a cashier for the time

300

What would the primary differentials for a client presenting with emotional dysregulation and impulsivity

What is BPD vs BP vs ADHD vs PTSD vs substance-induced

300

Should you formulate treatment if comorbidities are present?

Yes, because even if Dx1 is maintaining and producing Dx 2 we should be formulating at intake and the treatment plan should document when and how you will shift focus from Dx 1 to Dx2 

300

Client has been diagnosed with ADHD and MDD

What is ADHD first or simultaneous; treating ADHD effectively often produces substantial MDD improvement without direct targeting 

400

To have a good formulation of a client it is not_________, but it is _________. 

What is the focus on the Client's diagnosis, but it is focused on the diagnosis being maintained by specific cognitive, behavioral, emotional/physiological, interpersonal, and/or biological/historical patterns in the client's life. 

400

What are 4 treatment approaches for ASD?

What is CBT for comorbidities, PEERS (group), functional skills, and accommodation advocacy

400

What would the primary differentials for a client presenting with concentration difficulty

What is AHDD vs MDD vs GAD vs PTSD vs ASD vs Sleep Disorder

400

When both Dx are independent and neither is maintaining the other, where should treatment start

What is starting with the Dx that is causing greater functional impairment

400

Client has been diagnosed with OCD and MDD

What is MDD first is Severe (PHQ score is greater or equal to 15) or simultaneous ERP; severe depression reduces motivation and cognitive capacity for ERP, SSRI serves a dual function; MDD is mild to moderate, ERP can proceed and improvement in OCD often produces MDD improvement

500

Is it appropriate to share the clinical formulation you have with your client?

What is yes.

Because formulation if not a private theory of the therapist and should be shared with the Client by session 4 (client agreement with the formulation=alliance and disagreement=forumation revision material)

500

If at intake, a Client indicates they have received a diagnosis of Bipolar I or II after a complete Psychological Evaluation (report was provided), what would need to be a primary treatment approach?

What is pharmacoptherapy(active participation in medication services)

500

What would the primary differentials for a client presenting with re-experiencing, hyperarousal, and avoidance

What is PTSD vs Complex PTSD vs Adjustment Disorder vs Acute Stress Disorder

500

These are an immediate clinical priority that supercedes all treatment planning.

What is Active SI with plan or intent, active psychosis, acute mania, and acute substance intoxication or withdrawal 

500

Client has been diagnosied with Social Anxiety

What is treated simultaneously with an integrated formulation; these dx have a high co-occurrence-behavioral activation targets MDD, ERP targets social anxiety, and combined treatment is more efficent than sequential.