Support for testing fearful predictions in real life is laid out in a simple CBT behavioural experiment format. The printable worksheet helps people compare biased expectations with more realistic thoughts, notice safety behaviours, and review what actually happened afterwards.
The Biased Expectations Experiment Worksheet PDF download provides a structured way to test fearful predictions and compare them with what happens in practice. When someone expects a situation to go badly because of anxiety, low self-esteem, shame or self-doubt, the worksheet guides them to plan a behavioural experiment instead of relying only on avoidance, escape or safety behaviours.
Prompts help the user identify the situation, write down biased expectations, rate belief from 0 to 100%, define how they would recognise the feared outcome, and note the coping behaviours they would usually use. They can then add a more balanced expectation, choose helpful behaviours, complete the experiment, and review the results afterwards.
This printable CBT worksheet can be used in therapy sessions, guided self-help, wellbeing appointments or home learning between sessions. It may suit adults and older teens who are working on self-esteem, social anxiety, worry, perfectionism or other patterns where predictions feel convincing but have not been tested. Practitioners can use it as a therapy handout, a behavioural experiment template, a biased predictions exercise, or a piece of structured homework to support reflection and discussion.
Download and print the worksheet to support planning, practising and reviewing behavioural experiments in a clear step-by-step format for future sessions. Produced by the Centre for Clinical Interventions.
