430 Frank L. Gardner is with the Department of Psychology at La Salle University, Philadelphia, PA. E-mail: gardner@lasalle.edu. Zella E. Moore is with the Department of Psychology at Manhattan College, Riverdale, NY. The Sport Psychologist, 2005, 19, 430-445 © 2005 Human Kinetics, Inc. Using a Case Formulation Approach in Sport Psychology Consulting Frank L. Gardner La Salle University Zella E. Moore Manhattan College Providing effective sport psychology services requires practitioners to concep- tualize the unique issues and concerns of each individual athlete. However, col- lecting information on the athlete, understanding the athleteʼ s issues and needs, and determining how to best assist the athlete can be a complex process. Thus, this article outlines a case formulation approach to help the sport psychology consultant assess the athlete, organize and conceptualize assessment data, classify the athleteʼ s issues, and choose interventions that directly target those factors that are impeding the athleteʼ s progress in athletics or other life domains. Two case examples are provided to illustrate the case formulation process. Providing high-level care to athletes requires the practitioner to make correct decisions regarding the best intervention to meet the needs of the individual athlete. Yet, interventions cannot be thoughtfully chosen and successfully implemented without truly understanding the athlete, what brings him or her to consultation, and where to focus intervention efforts. As all forms of human behavior, including athletics, result from a complex interplay of person-situation interactions, the sport psychology practitioner is charged with understanding numerous athlete characteris- tics, including individual skill sets, dispositional characteristics, and the situational demands that trigger that athleteʼ s characteristic style of being in the world and navigating lifeʼ s demands (Gardner & Moore, 2006; Hardy, Jones, & Gould, 1996; Mischel, & Shoda, 1995; Tenenbaum, 2001). Practitioners are also faced with the athleteʼ s thinking patterns, belief systems about the world, emotional responses, and behavioral choices that can affect both performance and other life domains. When trying to determine the best intervention to meet the athleteʼ s specialized needs, these competing pieces of information can at times be overwhelming to 06Gardner(430) 430 11/23/05, 6:00:15 AM