The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook for Anxiety

17 2 The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook

PROBLEM SOLvING

Sometimes emotion regulation has to start before the overwhelming feelings begin. Problem solving
focuses on the triggering event and finds new, more effective ways to respond.

Behavior Analysis

Problem solving begins with something called behavior analysis. Basically, this amounts to
tracing the sequence of events that led up to a problematic emotion. The Behavior Analysis
Worksheet will take you step by step through the process.

exaMple: BehavIor analysIs worksheet

When he did a behavior analysis of his anger reactions, Sam found multiple internal triggers
he hadn’t expected.

SAM’S BEHAvIOR ANALYSIS WORKSHEET

1. 
   

   Problematic emotion: Rage at mother-in-law

   
   


2. 
   

   Precipitating event

   
   

 External event: Mother-in-law’s visit. She looks disgusted when she sees my house.

 Thoughts: House needs paint. The yard is full of weeds and run-down looking. Place is a

dump.

3. Secondary events

a. Emotion: Sadness

Thought: I hate this place.

b. Emotion: Shame

Thoughts: Why do I spend my life in dumps like this? Why can’t I do better than this? I

know why—because I’m a loser who can’t make any money.

c. Behavior: Accused my mother-in-law of not helping us when we needed it, of not caring

about our problems, and when she disagreed, blew up.