The Importance of Learning Style in Case Formulation–Driven Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Case Study

Rather than structuring treatment based on diagnoses, case formulation–driven cognitive behavior therapy (CF-CBT) focuses on building an individualized formulation or map of how a patient’s presenting problems are being maintained and uses this formulation to guide treatment planning. A case formulation can include comorbid diagnoses, underlying mechanisms, relevant historical, biological, and social factors, and problems unrelated to a diagnosis (e.g., unemployment). Therapy is also a learning context, and clients vary in their learning styles and preferences. The success of treatment depends not only on what a client learns but also on how a client learns. Frequently, learning style is not considered when developing a case formulation or providing CBT. The present case study, based on a man with social anxiety disorder who was treated using CF-CBT, demonstrates the importance of including learning style to target both what and how the client learns.