Psychological Formulation as an Alternative to Psychiatric Diagnosis

Abstract

The article gives an overview of psychological formulation, a rapidly expanding practice in the United Kingdom that is supported by the British Psychological Society. It is argued that formulation can provide a credible alternative to psychiatric diagnosis in the context of public admissions about lack of reliability and validity of current diagnostic systems. However, vigilance and best-practice principles are essential to ensure that this approach is not assimilated back into the status quo.