An evaluation of case formulation training and consultation with probation officers

Abstract

The capacity for teaching formulation to probation officers could be investigated further by comparing the process with formulation development by mental health experts with previously extensive formulation experience. Formulation will probably need to be adapted to meet the needs of the context in which it is developed. The relationship between formulation and management outcome was not investigated here and would be a further important step.

Training probation officers in case formulation for personality disordered offenders

“…Two vignettes were used as described in Minoudis et al (). Both cases were fictitious, but included information that would be expected to be found on probation files, including offending history and excerpts from other reports.…”

“…The OMs' ability to perform case formulation was measured before and after training. Quality assessments were made using a 10‐point quality checklist devised by McMurran et al (), first validated by Minoudis et al, (); the checklist was used during this validation phase. The areas of assessment are shown in Table .…”

“…While staff training has been rolled out, there is, as yet, little evidence on the standard of case formulation OMs can achieve as a result of such training. The one study to date (Minoudis et al, ) found no significant improvement in the OMs' case formulation skills after training. In our study, we sought to develop an OM training package for group delivery and compare the quality of formulations and attitudes towards personality disorder pre‐ and post‐training.…”

“…probation hostels) have been established. A model of case consultation, involving low‐intensity contact with psychologists in the implementation of the strategy in the community, was developed in one probation area in London and is being implemented more widely after promising initial evaluation (Minoudis et al, ; McMullan et al, ).…”

The implementation of case formulation by probation officers: service user and carer views

“…In order to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of training in CF, two recent studies have provided evidence of whether OMs can be taught the requisite skills. A study by Minoudis et al (2013) found no significant improvement in the OMs' ability to carry out CF following training. A study by the authors (Brown, Patel, Beeley and Völlm, 2015), which involved training of significantly longer duration than that provided by Minoudis et al (2013), found that OMs can be taught to provide some level of CF, although whether such formulations are at an appropriate standard remained unclear.…”