Cognitive Therapy of Anxiety Disorders

174

From Cognitive Therapy of Anxiety Disorders: Science and Practice by David A. Clark and Aaron T. Beck. Copyright
2010 by The Guilford Press. Permission to photocopy this appendix is granted to purchasers of this book for personal
use only (see copyright page for details).

aPPENDIX 5.9

Cognitive Responses to Anxiety Checklist

Name: Date:

Instructions: You will find below a checklist of various ways that people try to control their anxious
and worrisome thoughts. Please indicate how often you engage in each response when you are
anxious and how effective the strategy is in reducing or eliminating anxious thoughts.

Scale Descriptions: How often do you engage in this response when you feel anxious? [0 = never,
50 = half of the time, 100 = all the time]; When you engage in this cognitive strategy, how
effectively does it reduce or eliminate the anxious thoughts? [0 = not at all; 50 = moderately
effective in reducing anxiety, 100 = completely eliminates my anxiety]

Cognitive Control Response to anxious Thinking

How Often

Strategy

is Used

[0–100 scale]

Effectiveness

in Reducing

anxious

Thinking

[0–100 scale]

1. Deliberately try not to think about what is making me
   anxious or worried.


2. Tell myself that everything will be okay and will turn out
   fine.


3. Try to rationalize the anxiety; look for reasons why my
   anxious concerns might be unrealistic.


4. Try to distract myself by thinking about something else.


5. Try to replace the anxious thought with a more positive or
   comforting thought.


6. Make critical or negative remarks to myself about being
   anxious.


7. Tell myself to simply “stop thinking” like this.


8. Think a comforting phrase or prayer.


9. Ruminate on the anxious thought or worry; I keep going
   over in my mind what happened in the past or what could
   happen in the future.


10. When I start to feel anxious I try to suppress the feelings
    so I don’t look nervous or upset.