ABC analysis is the central skill in this printable CBT depression information sheet, helping people link an activating event with their feelings, behaviours and underlying beliefs. It introduces a practical way to capture unhelpful thoughts, identify a “hot thought”, and begin preparing for later cognitive restructuring or disputation work.
The Analysing Your Thinking CBT Depression PDF Sheet is a practical handout for exploring the link between situations, emotions, behaviours and beliefs. It explains the ABC approach, using Activating Event, Consequences and Beliefs to help people slow down their thinking and notice the automatic negative thoughts that may sit behind a strong mood. The sheet guides users to describe the situation as facts, rate emotion intensity from 0 to 100, identify a main “hot thought”, and record how strongly that thought is believed.
This printable CBT worksheet can be used by adults working on depression, anxious thoughts, guilt, anger or distress, either independently or with support from a counsellor, CBT therapist, mental health practitioner or support worker. It is also useful as a psychoeducation handout during sessions, a homework task between appointments, or a structured prompt for guided self-help.
The resource includes a relatable party example and thought discovery prompts such as “What is bad about that?”, “What am I concluding about myself or others?” and “What does this say about me?”. These prompts can support thought records, mood tracking, classroom or training discussions about CBT concepts, and preparation for later cognitive restructuring work.
Download and print the sheet to use as a clear step-by-step guide when practising ABC analysis, reviewing difficult situations, or building confidence with identifying unhelpful thinking patterns.
