ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the assessor is invited to take pause, stand back, and take in what has been learned and experienced about a child and family. The goal is to develop a tentative case conceptualization. To reach this goal, the construction of a table is recommended to organize the wealth of findings. The table summarizes the test findings and observation of behavior (comportment) of the child and the parents. An analysis of the table, along with information from a timeline and genogram, allows for the identification of major findings. The major findings are then interpreted from a variety of theoretical models. The interpretations that fit together are integrated into a tentative case conceptualization that is comprehensive and useful. The conceptualization describes how the family arrived at where they are; summarizes the narrative the family brought to the assessment as their understanding of their child's challenges; and offers a new narrative that provides a more positive, useful perspective on the child's and family's challenges. Initial answers to the Assessment Questions are then drafted, informed by the major findings and the case conceptualization. The chapter ends by returning to the case study being followed across chapters.
