Behavioural Experiments template
There are several commonly used record sheets for patients to document their behavioural experiments on, such as
• Bennett-Levy (2010) https://www.get.gg/docs/BErecordsheet2010.pdf
• https://www.get.gg/docs/BehaviouralExperimentWorksheet.pdf
However, I have found small difficulties with each and so I have created my own template.
The questions appear to be clearer for clients and the layout is more straightforward to fill in and be read by the client.
The single most useful high yield question is:
What will you specifically watch out for that could tell you how reality matches your predictions? i.e. specify (in detail) what would have to happen for you to think that your old thought, assumption or belief is coming true. Or that your alternative perspective is coming true.
Behavioural Experiment Record Sheet
Date:
Write down the thought, assumption or belief that are you testing.
How much do you believe this currently? (0-100%)
Is there an alternative perspective? What would you say to another person who came to you with this problem?
How much do you believe this alternative perspective currently? (0-100%)
Design an experiment to test out this thought. What exactly will you do? Where and when? What Safety Behaviours will you drop? What behaviours will you use instead? (that are different from your normal ones in this type of situation?)
What will you specifically watch out for that could tell you how reality matches your predictions? i.e. specify (in detail) what would have to happen for you to think that your old thought, assumption or belief is coming true. Or that your alternative perspective is coming true.
What problems might occur? How will you deal with them?
Outcome: what happened? What did you observe?
What have you learned? How does what happened relate to the original thought and the alternative perspective? How far do you believe them now? (0-100%)
What next? What further experiments can you do?
Additional resources for BEs
• Useful handout to give to clients to demonstrate how to test a negative prediction using a BE: https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/~/media/CCI/Mental%20Health%20Professionals/Panic/Panic%20-%20Information%20Sheets/Panic%20Information%20Sheet%20-%2006%20-%20Behavioural%20Experiments%20for%20Negative%20Predictions.pdf• Bennett-Levy, J., Butler, G., Fennell, M. J. V., Hackmann, A., Mueller, M., & Westbrook, D. (Eds.) (2004). The Oxford handbook of behavioural experiments. Oxford: Oxford University Press. This is the ‘go-to’ book for practical learning about BEs, including setting them up for specific conditions