Psychological formulation

Question 1

Psychological formulation

So what is it?

Answer 1

• this aims to explain the cause of the person’s behavior by constructing a summary of their life to help decide future developments

which then may lead to individualizing treatments for that person as well

• it’s purpose is to provide a coherent set of potential explanations of the individual’s behavior based in theory that describe and explain why the person has their problem at this time but can usefully inform intervention?
~ kuyken 2006

A fundamental step to ensuring an appropriate understanding of the person’s difficulties and should provide a theoretical framework for guiding management care and treatment
~ Todd et al 2009

It is made from 3 phases

Question 2

Psychological formulation

Phase 1

Offence Analysis

Answer 2

Offence analysis

• it can be summarised by forensic psychologist figuring out the following:
- what was the offense
- who committed the offence
- when was the offence committed
- how was the offense committed
- why was the offence committed

to answer the last one
this may help:

• forensic psychologists were able to draw conclusions from a similar crimes / offenders in order to identify contingencies (behaviours and issues that go along with the offence)

• they look for criminogenic factors to help explain what events took place, such as: education, employment, life style, drug misuse, attitude and thinking

these are all reasons why the crime may have taken place

• they often do offence paralleling

Which is important to help aid the case formulation of an evaluation of the treatment

It is looking at the behaviour that relates to the offence such as

identifying internal motivations for the crime such as feelings e.g. excitment

Identify external motivations for the crime such as: environment and physical things e.g. money

• psychologists may also look for functional similarity

This is identifying a criminal behavior that shares the same functions

E.g.
When a relationship ends it leads to humiliation
Rape = less humiliation more power
goes to prison = more humiliatiom
so fantasises about rape in prison, so want to it to decrease humiliation

sim reasons for commiting the crune

motivation is sim / same

• flow chart:

Identify criminogenic factors then identify internal motivation then external motivation
then link the internal motivations to crime and look at their symptoms
and think how these factors explain why the crime was committed

Question 3

Psychological formulation

Phase 2

Risk Analysis + how psy theorys fit in

Answer 3

Risk analysis + how psy theorys fit in

• scenario planning usually takes place in this stage

This is usually done when working with the most violent of cases

this process is done by speculating what might happen in the future with the best case scenario and the worst case scenario

• the best case scenario is usually rehabilitation

• the worst case scenario is usually recividism

• also in this stage
psychologists should speculate how certain psychological theories fit/explain with the criminals behaviour such as SLT

• another example is a rapist may have experienced early abuse themselves so we would apply psychodynamic approach to explain their offending behaviour

this helps us to understand what compels them to do it

Question 4

Psychological formulation

Phase 3

Application to Treatment

Answer 4

Application to Treatment

• the end goal is to find a treatment based on the conclusions in the previous two stages

E.g. if cognitive is the cause of the Crime than a cognitive treatment would be used

or if Social cause then use a social treatment

• the rehabilitation program should reflect how the offender started (cog cause = cog treatment ect.)
whether they have mental health issues
their risk of re-offending
and how likely the offend is to stick to the program (Readiness = up effectiveness)

This should be reassessed and adapted later as ‘a work in progress’

• due to these rehabilitation programs and treatments being individualized hcpc guidelines attempt to create some kind of standardization such as:

accessibility and communication

and teamwork

and not judging the patient for what they have done

mhm

This is for practicing psychologists only

Question 5

Psychological formulation

Case formulation

why and when used?

Answer 5

Case Formulation

Why used?

• if the offender has complex problems

• and if the method of treatment to use is unclear

• or standard treatments have failed due to recividism

• if the crime is unusual

• if the offender is not benefiting from the current treatment due to a lack of motivation and readiness which would decrease its effectiveness among other factors

• to help other professionals understand the offender, mabye through a case file or explenation, proffesionals such as: judge, probation officers, social workers etc

When used?

• probation: to create a treatment based on past behaviors and crimes
• mabye in prison rehabs to
• trials for NGRI?
ect.

This is done by reducing the amount of psychological words used as this will confused them

So use qualitative data as it’s easy to understand such as talk abt bad child hood

Question 6

Psychological formulation

Case Formulation

Overall what is it?

(overview of all stages basicaly, if in rush ignore)

Answer 6

overview of all stages basicaly

Case formulation

• case formulation is how you come to make sense of purposes problems and identify dynamic risk Factors in the offending behavior

• the aim is to explain a person’s difficulties by constructing an individual summary of a person’s life which is used to inform intervention

• formulation needs to include a detailed analysis of the offending behavior
formulation including offense analysis is a key component of risk management leading to:

• design of treatment and interventions to reduce reacting to risk factors

• understanding of warning signs

• identification of behaviors to monitor (including offender paralleling behaviors OPB’s)

• informed victim safety planning and supervision requirements (scenario planning allows for this)

• allows regular review of treatment plans and measure their success

Question 7

Psychological formulation

Hart et al 2011 basics for formulation

Answer 7

Hart et all 2011 outlined the following basics for all formulations:

• individualised: even though it looks at broader theories in research of offending

the basis of explaining the cause/ treatment must be based on the offenders history and data

• narrative: qualitative data is an easy to understand format so it’s accessible to other professionals such as: judges, social workers and probation officers
( removing psychological words to reduce confusion)

• diachronic: full account from past/ present and predictions on future

Predict recividism based on past behaviors

• Testable: need to measure the impact of cause treatment

this will help further develop the treatment to reduce recividism

idk lol

Question 8

Psychological formulation

Paul Whitehead Et al 2007

Mr C

Answer 8

Paul Whitehead et al 2007

Report on implemention of Psychological Formularion on Serial Killer Sex Offender Mr. C

• Mr C has a poor childhood experience in which he was exposed to violence and sexual abuse

This would have affected his socialization and therefore he may have developed a more PEN personality and being more aggressive

• partaking in the Gang he was in he may have looked up to them as models as some members were part of their family and therefore would have higher status than them increasing the chances of the being looked up to

Therefore Mr C may be imitating the gangs behavior in a criminal lifestyle such as drug misuse and fighting violently (SLT)

with being socialized in childhood with sexual abuse from the family and in adolescence with sexual abuse from two female prostitutes
Mr C may have been socialized to believe that engaging in non-consensual sex is normal and perhaps even viewed as positive therefore explaining why he has done it, to conform to the social norms that’s he has been socialized with (SIdT ?) ( unnatural way of thinking? may need CBT to sport patterns during cognitive restructuring)

• leaving school the age of 15 and having 20 convictions since age 18, Mr C may be labeled as a criminal and may have internalized this label via seld furfilling prophecy causing him to commit more crimes such as violence and assault

• Mr C was sentenced to 100 hours Cognitive Behavioral Therap

• showing his allegiance to the Gang he attempt to rejoin it but did not nor did he reoffend

• this therefore is an example of how psychological formulation has been an effective method of establishing and individualized effective treatment

• established that Mr C had committed crimes due to cognitive reasons such as his fort processes due to his socialization and therefore was given Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to counter this which was effective at stopping him from re-offending

Question 9

Psychological formulation

Helps to reduce recividism +

Answer 9

Due to parts of the procedure being to creating individualized rehabilitation program and treatment for the offenders based on their past behaviors in crimes and the reasons they committed it

And by making sure to impose these treatments especially on offenders who have high Readiness to rehabilitate meaning that it would be more effective for them to be on the treatment as in more likely to show improvements

This all means that the highly individualized treatments of psychological formulation are incredibly effective and therefore have high chances of reducing recividism

making them effective

e.g. Mr C from Whitehead et al 2007

Who had 100 hours CBT as a basis of their socialization and allegiance to a gang
He did not rejoin the Gang and did not reoffend showing how it is effective at doing so

Question 10

Psychological formulation

Retrospective data -

Answer 10

Psychological formulation often use retrospective data which may be gathered from accounts from peers which may be inaccurate as there is no way of 100% confirming that the behavioral description from the peers is accurate

due to their memory maybe being inaccurate

or due to social desirability bias of trying to make whoever they are talking about Justified or give them Sympathy for their actions

Therefore meaning that the data gathered from retrospective data may be invalid therefore leading to an invalid conclusion reducing the link between chords and effect meaning that there is a reduction in internal validity of psychological formulation

Question 11

Psychological formulation

Objective Quantitive data +

Answer 11

If some of the dates it is based on quantitative data such as test scores that to be individual case or offender has done

Such as possibly a personality quiz or an IQ test etc

as quantitative data can only be objectively interpreted as a low or high school is usually linked to specific behaviors or traits and is incredibly difficult to argue otherwise

Therefore meaning that due to the data collected in this method being objective it would make the this data valid

leading to a conclusion and therefore improving the link between causing effects meaning that psychological formulation would have high internal validity in terms of quantitative data from test scores

Question 12

Psychological formulation

mainly qualitive data so subjective -

Answer 12

In psychological formulation the main type of data collected is qualitative this is due to it being taken mainly from Case History and retrospective data and interviews

This means that the majority of data collected during psychological formulation can be interpreted differently by different experimenters meaning it is more likely that data may be misinterpretated or there may be a disagreement between experimenters on the meaning of the data

This all means that the data is subjective and therefore may be invalid which would lead to an invaded conclusion which lowers the link between chord and effect results in psychological formulation having a low internal validity

Question 13

Psychological formulation

McKnight et al 1984 +

Answer 13

McKnight found that psychological formulation was able to predict successful and unsuccessful methods of treatment therefore showing how it has high predictive validity

as it could predict if a treatment would work or not and therefore predict behavior

Question 14

Psychological formulation

Hart Et Al (2011)
Key Areas of Psych Formulation

Answer 14

Hart et al (2011)
found that for a basic Psychological Formulation to be done
it must be:

• Individualised) even tho it looks at broader theories and research if offending

the basis of Explaining the cause / treatment must be based on the ofenders history and data

• Narrative) Qualitative data in an easy to understand format

this means it is accessable to proffesionals such as judges or social workers, probation officers ect.

so reduce the psychological wording to reduce the level of confusion they may have

• Diachronic) A full account from past/present and predictions on future behaviours

Predict recividism rates based on past behaviours

• Testable) the need to measure the impact of cause and treatment of behaviour

used to accuratly reduce recividism

Question 15

Psychological formulation

Highly Holistic Method +

(Phase 3 point)

Answer 15

use in Phase 3

a strength of Psych formulation is that it uses the Case study aproach to explore offenders behaviours in detail

via interviews producing individual, Holistic, qualitive data

Triangualtion is also used
e.g. multi-methods: Interviews, psychometric tests which may assess a offenders Iq, cog dissfunction, personality and Mental illness

Also uses Theory Triangulation which explores the offenders behaviour
by exploring it from different psychological perspectives/ apply it to theorys

therefore it allows the production of individualised treatment for an offender

and avoids a one size fits all approach that oftern dominates the rehabilitation of offenders

therefore showing a strength of Psych Formulation

Question 16

Psychological formulation

It Is difficult to assess the success if Psych formulation -

(phase 3)

Answer 16

Use in phase 3

A weakness of Psychological Formulation is how it is dificult to assess the success of it

this is due to success being assessed via self report methods to offenders to indicate how successful the programme us

reoffending rates would also be annalysed to see how many times offenders reoffend post treatment

however this is not a measure of recividism itself but a mrasure kf reconviction
as some offenders may not be caught
therefire making the conclusion and data invalid

all of this provides The Psychologist with an overview on whether psych formulation correctly predicts treatment and treatment outcomes

However in Self Report methods
offenders may lie about the treatments effectivness (social desirability bias or an attempt to be released)

this therefore shows a weakness in Psych form as it is Difficult to Validily and Accuratly assess the success of the process

Question 17

Psychological formulation

Quantitive objective data can be produced +

(1st paragraph on purpose and collection of data and why/when its used and such)

Answer 17

(1st paragraph on purpose and collection of data and why/when its used and such)

A strength of Psych formulation is that it produces Objective Quantitive data

in order to do a effective CF
Psychometric testing is oftern used, which are oftern pen and paper self report interventions providing info on the offender directly from the offender

this involves items used to measure personality such as the MMPI, Psychosexual functioning for sex offenders, and general Psychosocial functioning to assess the Psychiatric status

Tests can also be used to assess/ predict whether the offender is likley to respond or reject treatment

this Quantitive data can only be analysised Objectivly and it Difficult to misinterprit

meaning the analysed data accuratly represents the effectivness of the teanmtnent

and it makes tge behaviour of the offender easily measurable and understandable to proffesionals

these factors show the strength of the objective quantitive data collected for psych form
showing good evidence to suport it

Question 18

Psychological formulation

It is reliant on effective use by Proffessionals -

(1st paragraph on purpose and collection of data and why/when its used and such)

Answer 18

(1st paragraph on purpose and collection of data and why/when its used and such)

Is reliant on effective use by proffessionals

this is a weakenss of Psych Form

due to multidisciplinary practuve there is room for error in using PF to inform outcomes for the offender

Minoudis et al (2013) found thaf even w/ training, Probation officers didnt feel confident wuth all aspects of PF

thus meaning that if it isnt properly used
it will have a limited impact and value in changing the ourcomes of the offenders future behaviours

simply if not done effectivly
PF treatments wont work at decreasing risk of recividism
increasing the risk to society

it is also dificult to train proffesionals such as judges, probation officers ect.

to use PF to the same Effectivness and Efficincy as Psychologists do

increasing the likley hood of ineffective treatment
increasing the risk of Reoffending and risk to society

thus highlighting how this is a weakness of PF and their innefective use by Proffesionals compared to psychologists
as it may be significantly less effective at reducing recividism and predicting behaviours

Question 19

Psychological formulation

Psychological Formulation us highly Flexible in its nature +

(phase 1)

Answer 19

use in Phase 1

PF is something highly flexable in nature
this is because psychologists may want to reassess the treatment program (which they can due to be being an work in proccess) when new evidence comes alight

this may be from self report data shch as psychometric tets that find NEW CRIMINOGENIC FACTORS

so the treatment is changed to thurther individualise it to these new factors

hopfully reducing recividism with the more personalised the treatment becomes, tending to more and more criminogenic factors

this therefore shows that PF’s treatments can be activley adapted to suit decelopments in the understanding of/ the behvaiours of the Offender

to ensure a reduction in recividism

thus showing a strenth in PF

Question 20

Psychological formulation

The Case study Approach adopted by PF has its flaws -

Phase 1

Answer 20

Use in Phase 1

The Case study Appriach adopted by PF has its flaws

this is due to having a individualised holistic method

therefore it is likley due to increased contact between the Offender and Psychologist/ probation officer ect.

that a relationship (rapport) is built

therefore it may be more likely the treatment is concluded before the offender has been fully rehabilitated

due to the close rapport that has been built that may make them view improovments in treatment as the offender being fully rehabilitated as a building of Rapport creates Trust in One another

which may lead to a bias being created by this rapport too

these may both lead to reoffending due to incomplete treatment

showing a major flaw and weakness in the methodology of PF

Question 21

Psychological formulation

Understanding Behaviour of offender leads to the effective treatment and reduction if rates of recividism +

(phase 2)

Answer 21

use in phase 2

Understanding the behaviour of the offender leads to the effective treatment and reduction in recivisism rates

this is demonstraighted in the research done by Whithead et al (2007)

they found that when offenders were allowed input into the formulations, they gained better understanding of their behaviour

and were more likely to work on their goals, making it an effective therapy

e.g
in the case of MR C

provison of Trauma intensive 100 hours of CBT and a violence prevention programme

reduced thurther reoffending which was assessed at 14 months after leaving prison

Therefore showing that when there is an understanding of behaviour of the offender by the offender, it is easyer for them to improve and therefore more likley to show the treatment as effective, reducing recividism as with the case of MR C

evidence showing PF’s effectivness

Question 22

Psychological formulation

It is hard to develop an effective treatment plan for offenders with such a large amount of qualitative data which can contridict itself

(Phase 2)

Answer 22

Use in Phase 2

It is hard to develop an effective treatment plan for offenders with such a large amount of qualitative data which can contridict itself

as when qualitive data (for example offender interviews) contridict with other qualitive data ( such as accounts from peers/fam members of their life/ past behaviours)

it is difficult to obtain a clear view of the behaviours causes, and thus makes it difficult to plan an individualised treatment plan based on the root of the cause if the behaviour, as this isnt clear

this is likely to result in an ineffective treatment, possibly showed via high rates of recividism, showing a weakness of PF

Or

As due to a large amount of Quant data

if the majority of this data doesnt sugest the same cause of the behaviour, but is indecisive and contridictive

then the confidence in the cause of the behaviour is reduced and an effective and successful treatmebt cannot be devised

showing a weakness in PF

Question 23

Psychological formulation

incredibly time consuming -

Answer 23

a weakness of PF is how time consuming it is to created a Case formulation of a single offender and the possibly causes of their behaviour

from interview to past accounts of their childhood

and then taking even more time to convert these factors into a treatment plan

this occurs for multiple offenders at the same time
each with their own imdividualised cases and treatments being developed

therefore it may be likely that offenders with shorter sentences would have been released either before the programme or its early stages

therefore reducing its effectivness at reducing the offenders risk of reoffending and increasing the risk to society

showing an overal weakness in Psychological formulation