Understanding Cognitive Distortions
A worksheet for 7th graders to learn about common cognitive distortions and how to identify them in everyday situations.
Includes
Standards
Topics
Understanding Cognitive Distortions
Name:
Date:
Score:
Read each section carefully and answer the questions to the best of your ability. This worksheet will help you understand common 'thinking traps' or cognitive distortions.
What are Cognitive Distortions?
Cognitive distortions are irrational or biased ways of thinking that can lead to negative emotions and unhelpful behaviors. They are like 'thinking traps' that our minds sometimes fall into, making us see situations in a way that isn't entirely accurate.
1. Cognitive distortions are or biased ways of thinking.
2. They can lead to emotions and unhelpful behaviors.
3. Another name for cognitive distortions is ' traps'.
1. Which cognitive distortion involves exaggerating the negative aspects of a situation while minimizing the positive ones?
All-or-Nothing Thinking
Catastrophizing
Mental Filter
Personalization
2. Believing that if you aren't perfect, you are a complete failure is an example of what type of cognitive distortion?
Overgeneralization
Mind Reading
All-or-Nothing Thinking
Emotional Reasoning
1. Describe a situation where someone might be using 'Catastrophizing' as a cognitive distortion. What might they be thinking and feeling?
2. Explain 'Overgeneralization' in your own words and provide an example.
1. Cognitive distortions are always easy to identify in ourselves.
True
False
2. Challenging cognitive distortions can help improve our mood and reactions.
True
False
1. Think about a time when you might have experienced a cognitive distortion (even if you didn't know what it was then). What was the situation, and what was your distorted thought?
2. What is one strategy you can use to challenge a negative thought that might be a cognitive distortion?