Clinical Psychology

F I G U R E 17-3

Example of a self-monitoring record for situations associated with tension headache

Time

Situation

Physical Sensations

Thoughts

Feeling (0

• 
  
  
  
  100. 
       
  
  
  
  

Behavior

8:00

A.

M.

Breakfast, husband saysI look

“scattered

”

Worry about getting towork on time (e.g., If I

’m

late Mr. ___ will notice)

Anxiety (25)Hurt (20)

Rush through breakfast,leave dishes in sink.

10:00

A.

M.

Given too many tech-nical letters to type

Upset stomach fromcoffee, tense muscles

Everybody assumes I

’m

superwoman. No onetakes account of otherdemands on my time

Anxiety (30)Annoyance (20)

Rushed typing, curt ontelephone, take extra longbreak to calm down

12:00 noon

Jerry (fellow employeeand supervisor) asks meto lunch. Talks sugges-tively about recentdivorce

Lightheaded, tinglingsensations in head andface, nausea

Jerry is on the make.I don

’t like fending him

off

—

so why am I here?

Am I seductive?

Anxiety (50)Awkwardness (40)Is that a feeling?

Try to offer sympathy butresent ulterior motive.Probably curt

2:00

P.M

.

Spencer gives me a longreport with 5 tables tobe done by 5

P.M

.

Headache

—

back of neck F___ him

—

he didn

’t even

ask what else I had to do.Fantasize Spencer stuckin elevator. No time torelax.

Anger (60)Anxiety (60)

Typing report

—

distractedly

4:00

P.M

.

Report completed

Headache worsening,nausea

If I could quit ruminatingand was more organized Iwould get more workdone

Anger (40)Anxiety (50)

Give report for correction.Complain to Susan. Typeletters

Reprinted from Holroyd, K. A., & Andrasik, F.,

“A cognitive-behavioral approach to recurrent tension and migraine headache,

”

in P. E. Kendell (Ed.),

Advances in cognitive-behavioral research and

therapy

(Vol. 1). Copyright © 1982 by Elsevier. Reprinted with permission.

498 CHAPTER 17