NCJ Number
212500
Journal
Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Volume: 44 Issue: 12 Dated: December 2005 Pages: 1309-1312
Date Published
December 2005
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This clinical perspective presents a graphic tool/organizer of squares and overlapping circles for use in organizing diagnostic formulations to present a clinician’s view of the patient’s present life situation.
Abstract
This article describes a graphic organizer designed to facilitate communication with the patient and family and provide a structure for thinking about comorbidity of diagnosis in the present context of the specific patient and family. The graphic consists of two separate squares within which are overlapping circles of a Venn diagram. Specifically, it can be used to present a clinician’s view of the patient’s present life situation and focus conversation between patient, family members, and clinician about how best to understand, prioritize, and respond to the current dilemmas of the patient and family. Advantages of the graphic organizer are its explicit incorporation of strengths and stressors of the patient and family into the diagnostic formulation and it provision of a convenient way to structure collaboration among patient, family, and clinician. References