Processes for Systemic Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy with Children, Young People and Families

Abstract

In cognitive-behavioural therapy with children, young people and families, formulation-based practice ensures that interventions are based on underlying causative and maintaining processes. Importantly, however, developmental, attachment, family, systemic and other perspectives must be incorporated into therapy. This paper describes a template for systemic cognitive-behavioural formulation that facilitates incorporation of the necessary range of perspectives including processes more traditionally expressed through other psychotherapeutic modes of working. Case formulation based on this template is sufficiently comprehensive, yet simple enough to derive collaboratively and leads to a distinct clinical process for working with individuals, families and wider support systems. This generic formulation process is appropriate for use across the range of presentations encountered in child and adolescent mental health practice and provides a structure for therapist training. It requires formal evaluation and has implications for future research.