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Psychology: Research and Review

Table 11 Case Study Evaluation-tool (CaSE) checklist for essential components in systematic case studies. Recommended responses: Yes, No, unclear or not applicable

From: Appraising psychotherapy case studies in practice-based evidence: introducing Case Study Evaluation-tool (CaSE)

Methodology

 1. The rationale behind choosing the case study method

 2. Description of research design and aims

 3. Description of research participants, including:

  3a. Patients/clients

  3b. Therapists, clinical supervisors

  3c. Researchers/data analysts (research team)

 4. Description of research procedures, including:

  4a. Evaluation of existing literature and research

  4b. Data collection methods

  4c. Data analysis methods

  4d. Data triangulation procedures

  4e. Research appraisal tools and instruments

 5. Description of researchers’ reflexivity (awareness of the relationship between the researcher and research study), including:

  5a. Research assumptions pertaining to objectives

  5b. Research biases pertaining to data analysis

  5c. Differentiation between assumptions and views made by different researchers/therapists

 6. Description of research limitations, including:

  6a. Congruity between research data and research aims and objectives

  6b. Research appraisal and validity

 7. Relevant ethical information, including:

  7a. Patient’s informed consent

  7b. Anonymisation of specific clinical material

Clinical components

 8. Description of patient’s history, including:

  8a. Demographics

  8b. Cultural context

  8c. Socio-economic context

  8d. Interpersonal history (family and other relationships)

 9. Description of patient’s clinical condition, including:

  9a. Current and past diagnosis (with reference to DSM, ICD and other diagnostic manuals)

  9b. Current and past symptoms and experiences

  9c. Previously received treatment

  9d. The use of medication

 10. Description of patient’s problems through:

  10a. Diagnostic tools (therapist’s assessment)

  10b. Self–report questionnaires (patient’s self–assessment)

 11. Description of course of therapy and treatment, including:

  11a. Therapeutic modality

  11b. Therapeutic setting (number of sessions, frequency, private/public practice)

  11c. Therapeutic relationship

  11d. Timeline of relevant treatment events/sessions

  11e. Follow-up information

  11f. Treatment outcomes

  11g. Complicating factors

 12. Description of clinical decision–making and reflexivity (awareness of the relationship between the therapist and the treatment process), including:

  12a. Clinical assumptions pertaining to diagnosis

  12b. Clinical biases pertaining to therapeutic techniques and interpretations (especially in relation to therapist’s therapeutic modality)

 13. Description of therapist where relevant, including:

  13a. Professional experience

  13b. Demographics

  13c. Cultural context

  13d. Socio-economic context

Theory

 14. Clear description of theoretical references and key concepts

 15. Description of how clinical decision–making relates to the chosen theoretical framework

 16. Clear statement of theoretical findings

 17. Clear description of evidence for and limitations of the chosen theoretical framework, including:

  17a. Validity (does the case study attend its research objectives and aims sufficiently? Do researchers use relevant theoretical concepts, clinical techniques and research methods?)

  17b. Reliability (does the case study provide sufficient, detailed and reflexive information on how it arrived at its findings?)

 18. Description of transferability of findings (relevance to other cases), including:

  18a. Transferability to psychotherapy research

  18b. Transferability to psychotherapy practice

  18c. Relevance to policy in private and/or public healthcare

  18d. Relevance to specific clinical population and setting