Psychological Formulation: A Methodological Taxonomy

Abstract Psychological case formulation is widely valued yet enacted in diverse ways across professions and contexts. This paper offers a methodological taxonomy to help describe and more precisely discuss variation in formulation practices. The taxonomy is theoretically derived from non‑systematic literature review and observations of clinical practice. Nine factors are outlined on which approaches appear to vary: Purpose for Formulating, Degree of Collaboration, Specificity of the Target, Domains of Relevance, Loyalty to Modality, Tailoring of Theory, Explanatory Form, Stability of the Formulation, and the Nature of Truth and Evaluation. By offering language to describe variation in approaches to formulation across professions, approaches, individuals, and enactments, we aim to support conceptual competence, clearer communication, and improvement of formulation practices over time.