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Interrater relability of cognitive-behavioral case formulations

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Abstract

This study tested the hypothesis that clinicians can agree on two aspects of a cognitive-behavioral case formulation: the client's overt problems and underlying cognitive mechanisms. To test this hypothesis, 46 clinicians listened to part or all of an initial interview for two anxious, depressed clients and then listed each client's overt difficulties and rated each client's underlying cognitive mechanisms. When groups of five clinicians were considered, clinicians showed moderate agreement in listing overt problems, and, except for one type of belief (dysfunctional attitudes) for one client, high agreement on ratings of underlying cognitive mechanisms.

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We thank Alan Bostrom of Crunch Software, for statistical assistance, and the clients and clinicians participating in the study. This paper was presented at the meetings of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, November 21–24, 1991, New York.

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Persons, J.B., Mooney, K.A. & Padesky, C.A. Interrater relability of cognitive-behavioral case formulations. Cogn Ther Res 19, 21–34 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02229674

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