CBT Case Formulation Teaching Resource

Overview

A structured 14-page CBT case formulation teaching resource for psychology students, provisional psychologists, supervisors, and educators.

This resource walks learners through the 5 Ps framework — presenting, predisposing, precipitating, perpetuating, and protective factors — using a CBT lens informed by Beck’s cognitive model. It is designed to help students move beyond listing symptoms and toward writing an integrated, clinically useful formulation.

The resource includes a fictional worked example, a cognitions and schemas table, a blank student worksheet, an eight-module CBT treatment plan, and a detailed educator marking rubric.

For teaching and training purposes only. Not intended for direct clinical use without appropriate supervision and adaptation.

What's included

• Main teaching handout explaining CBT formulation and the 5 Ps framework
• Worked example using a fictional composite case
• Cognitions, cognitive distortions, and schemas mapping table
• Provisional diagnosis and differential considerations
• Integrative CBT formulation summary
• Eight-module CBT treatment plan
• Blank student formulation worksheet
• Educator marking rubric out of 50 marks
• Reference list for further reading

Best suited for

• Undergraduate psychology students
• Postgraduate psychology students
• Provisional psychologists
• Psychology supervisors
• Educators teaching case formulation
• Tutorial, workshop, or supervision settings

Learning focus

This resource helps learners understand how to:

• Distinguish formulation from diagnosis
• Apply the 5 Ps through a CBT framework
• Link early experiences to core beliefs and schemas
• Identify automatic thoughts and cognitive distortions
• Map behavioural, cognitive, interpersonal, and physiological maintenance cycles
• Translate formulation into treatment planning
• Write formulations using tentative, clinically appropriate language

Suggested use

Use this resource as a teaching handout, supervision discussion guide, student worksheet, or marking support tool. Students can review the worked example first, then complete the blank template using a fictional case, case vignette, or de-identified supervised learning material.