ABSTRACT
Case formulation plays an integral role in the delivery of empirically supported cognitive-behavioural approaches to common mental health problems. There are strong theoretical and clinical reasons for employing a case formulation approach, and MCT is no different from CBT in this regard. Case formulation provides the link between assessment and treatment and speci®es the psychological constructs that need to be identi®ed and modi®ed over the course of therapy. The nature and construction of the case formulation is distinct in MCT, which will be illustrated here with reference to depression. The case formulation is based on the metacognitive model of depression described in Point 14. There are ®ve main components that need to be derived for the case formulation: the trigger, the nature of rumination, positive beliefs which determine whether rumination is sustained as a response to the trigger, negative metacognitive beliefs and unhelpful coping responses. A brief example of the therapeutic dialogue is illustrated below.
