Thought Records

The cognitive model assumes that cognitions (thoughts and images) are responsible for emotions. Cognitions are automatic, habitual, and believable. Unfortunately, they are also prone to bias: misappraisals of events and situations underpin many common problems, including anxiety and depression. Thought records are tools used by cognitive behavioral therapists to help their patients capture, evaluate, and restructure their negative automatic thoughts. Recording and evaluating thoughts allows us to test the accuracy of our thinking, and oftentimes feel better by identifying and correcting bias or inaccuracies. One objective when using thought records in CBT is to encourage more balanced thinking. Thought records vary considerably and include: simple forms that assist patients to capture their negative automatic thoughts; thought challenging records that guide patients through the process of disputing their negative cognitions; and disorder-specific forms that encourage the capture of specific types of cognitive content. Psychology Tools has created a variety of thought records to suit the needs of a broad range of cognitive therapists.

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Links to external resources

Psychology Tools makes every effort to check external links and review their content. However, we are not responsible for the quality or content of external links and cannot guarantee that these links will work all of the time.

Recommended Reading

  • Bennett-Levy, J. (2003). Mechanisms of change in cognitive therapy: The case of automatic thought records and behavioural experiments.Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy,31(3), 261-277.

What Are CBT Thought Records?

Types of CBT Thought Records

References

  • Beck, A. T., Rush, A. J., Shaw, B. F., & Emery, G. (1979). Cognitive therapy of depression. New York: Guilford Press.

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