| Literature DB >> 31651367 |
Øystein Sørbye1, Hanne-Sofie J Dahl2, Tracy D Eells3, Svein Amlo4, Anne Grete Hersoug5, Unn K Haukvik5, Cecilie B Hartberg6, Per Andreas Høglend5, Randi Ulberg5,6.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: To bridge the gap between symptoms and treatment, constructing case formulations is essential for clinicians. Limited scientific value has been attributed to case formulations because of problems with quality, reliability, and validity. For understanding, communication, and treatment planning beyond each specific clinician-patient dyad, a case formulation must convey valid information concerning the patient, as well as being a reliable source of information regardless of the clinician's theoretical orientation. The first aim of the present study is to explore the completeness of unstructured psychodynamic formulations, according to four components outlined in the Case Formulation Content Coding Method (CFCCM). The second aim is to estimate the reliability of independent formulations and their components, using similarity ratings of matched versus mismatched cases. <br> METHODS: This study explores psychodynamic case formulations as made by two or more experienced clinicians after listening to an evaluation interview. The clinicians structured the formulations freely, with the sole constraint that technical, theory-laden terminology should be avoided. The formulations were decomposed into components after all formulations had been written. <br> RESULTS: The results indicated that most formulations were adequately comprehensive, and that overall reliability of the formulations was high (> 0.70) for both experienced and inexperienced clinician raters, although the lower bound reliability estimate of the formulation component deemed most difficult to rate - inferred mechanisms - was marginal, 0.61. <br> CONCLUSIONS: These results were achieved on case formulations made by experienced clinicians using simple experience-near language and minimizing technical concepts, which indicate a communicative quality in the formulations that make them clinically sound. TRIAL REGISTRATION: linicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00423462 . https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-018-2781-7 ., January 18, 2007.Entities:
Keywords: Case formulations; Psychodynamic; Reliability
Year: 2019 PMID: 31651367 PMCID: PMC6813052 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-019-0337-5
Source DB: PubMed Journal: BMC Psychol ISSN: 2050-7283
Percentage of case formulations, made by 7 evaluators in the FEST-study, that are deemed complete according to the Case Formulation Content Coding Method
| Evaluators | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Mean |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Case Formulations (total | 68 | 80 | 32 | 90 | 59 | 37 | 59 | 61 |
| % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | |
| 1. Symptoms and problems | 91 | 99 | 91 | 99 | 90 | 97 | 98 | 95 |
| 2. Precipitating stressors or events | 50 | 89 | 88 | 87 | 88 | 78 | 96 | 83 |
| 3. Predisposing life events or stressors | 98 | 100 | 100 | 99 | 98 | 97 | 100 | 99 |
| 4 Inferred psychological mechanisms | 100 | 100 | 97 | 90 | 98 | 100 | 100 | 98 |
Illustrations of full case formulations, by different clinicians (1 and 2), both matched (Patient X) and mismatched (Patient Y)
| Patient X Clinician 1 | Mostly attached to the mother. The father was authoritarian, somewhat remote, but shared many interests and activities with the patient. A stable, secure childhood. A tendency to have difficulties making decisions since secondary school. Scared by macular bleeding in the eye early in the 20-ies. Indecisive when choosing a career (salesman, artist, author) and reluctant to marry for fear of being limited by all the responsibilities. At the same time guilt feelings for not taking responsibility. Anxiety and depression, self- doubt after giving up a romantic relationship. |
| Patient X Clinician 2 | Grew up in a family with few open conflicts, but father’s authoritarian style seems to have affected the rest of the family. The patient was kind and smart, avoided conflicts. The patient has always had problems making decisions and been bothered by ambivalence with major life decisions like committing to a sweetheart or choosing a career as an artist etc. The romantic relationship was dominated by fear of becoming trapped in a marriage with children where the spouse would be dominant. Chose to move from the partner half a year ago to concentrate on a career as an artist. Ambivalence and anxiety/depressive symptoms for the last 1–2 months after feelings of professional failure. A patient with aggression impairment who easily becomes depressed and anxious when disappointed or irritated. Lots of worries, a strong need for proof of being good enough. |
| The average similarity in this matched rating (6 raters) was 5.5, range = 4–6. | |
| Patient Y Clinician 1 | Conflicted relationship to a harsh, authoritarian father. A younger brother had a closer relationship to the father. Mother was gentle and flexible and defended the children against the father. Mother became ill and the patient moved to relatives for 6 months when he was 2 years old. Remembers nothing from how he reacted. Lively, somewhat bad tempered. Always jealous of a younger brother. Many friends, restless, active. Intensely in love with a beautiful wife. Two teenage kids. Headache, irritable. Marriage conflicts for many years. But he regards headache and fatigue as non-explainable symptoms. He is like his father, but while his mother resigned, his wife does not. The patient has also symptoms when the burden of responsibilities increases. |
| The average similarity in this mismatched rating (6 raters) was 2.2, range = 2–3. | |
Mean similarity between raters on matched and mismatched whole case formulations, predisposing events, and Inferred mechanisms, rated on a Likert scale from 1 to 7
| Ratersa | Mean | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pair 1 | Pair 2 | Pair 3 | |||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | ||
| Whole formulation | |||||||
| Matched | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.9 | 4.6* |
| Mismatched | 1.5 | 2.0 | 2.1 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 1.9* |
| Predisposing events | |||||||
| Matched | 5.1 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 4.6 | – | – | 4.8** |
| Mismatched | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 2.0 | – | – | 2.0** |
| Inferred Mechanisms | |||||||
| Matched | 4.3 | 4.3 | 3.6 | 3.5 | – | – | 3.9*** |
| Mismatched | 1.8 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 1.7 | – | – | 1.7*** |
*(t = 10.4, df = 57, p < 0.00)
**(t = 17.3, df = 198, p < 0.00)
***(t = 15.0, df = 198, p < 0.00)
aThe raters were 6 researchers divided in three pairs: Pair 1 were study clinicians, Pair 2 were experienced clinicians, Pair 3 were inexperienced clinicians
Intraclass correlation for similarity ICC two-way random, absolute agreement
| Pair 1 FEST-study clinicians | Pair 2 Experienced clinicians | Pair 3 Resident psychiatrists | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whole formulations ( | 0.78 | 0.82 | .91 |
| Predisposing events or stressors ( | 0.88 | 0.85 | – |
| Inferred Mechanisms ( | 0.77 | 0.62 | – |
Illustrations of “Predisposing life events”, by different clinicians (1 and 2), both matched (patient X) and mismatched (patient Y)
| Patient X Clinician 1: | Mostly attached to the mother. The father was authoritarian, somewhat remote, but shared many interests and activities with the patient. A stable, secure childhood. |
| Patient X Clinician 2: | Grew up in a family with few open conflicts, but father’s authoritarian style seems to have affected the rest of the family. |
| The average similarity in this matched rating (4 raters) was 3.75, range 3–6. | |
| Patient Y Clinician 1: | Conflicted relationship to a harsh, authoritarian father. A younger brother had a closer relationship to the father. Mother was gentle and flexible and defended the children against the father. Mother became ill and the patient moved to relatives for 6 months when he was 2 years old. |
| The average similarity in this mismatched rating (4 raters) was 2, range 1–4. | |
Illustrations of “Inferred mechanism”, by different clinicians (1 and 2), both matched (patient X) and mismatched (patient Y)
| Patient X Clinician 1: | A tendency to have difficulties making decisions since secondary school. Scared by macular bleeding in the eye early in the 20-ies. Indecisive when choosing a career (salesman, artist, author) and reluctant to marry for fear of being limited by all the responsibilities. At the same time guilt feelings for not taking responsibility. |
| Patient X Clinician 2: | The patient was kind and smart, avoided conflicts. The patient has always had problems making decisions and been bothered by ambivalence with major life decisions like committing to a sweetheart or choosing a career as an artist etc. The romantic relationship was dominated by fear of becoming trapped in a marriage with children where the spouse would be dominant. Chose to move from the partner half a year ago to concentrate on a career as an artist. Ambivalence and anxiety/depressive symptoms for the last 1–2 months after feelings of professional failure. |
| The average similarity on this matched rating (4 raters) was 5.75, ranging from 5 to 6. | |
| Patient Y Clinician 1: | Lively, somewhat bad tempered. Always jealous of the 1 year younger brother. Many friends, restless, active. Intensely in love with a beautiful wife. Two teenage kids. Headache, irritable. Marriage conflicts for many years. But he regards headache and fatigue as non-explainable symptoms. He is like his father, but while his mother resigned, his wife does not. The patient has also symptoms when the burden of responsibilities increases. |
| The average similarity on this mismatched rating (4 raters) was 2, ranging from 1 to 4. | |