Young people are supported to notice negative thoughts, test whether those thoughts are facts, and build a more balanced response using the ABCDE method. The printable focuses on challenging unhelpful beliefs in a clear, child-friendly way, making it suitable for children, tweens and teenagers who struggle with worry, low confidence, anxious thinking, overthinking or assuming the worst.
The main page explains that thoughts are not facts and sets out the ABCDE structure: Activating Event, Belief, Consequences, Dispute and Effective New Belief. Each step is paired with a short prompt, such as identifying what happened, naming what the young person is telling themselves, recognising how the thought affects feelings and behaviour, looking for evidence for and against the belief, and forming a more realistic way to view the situation.
Alongside the ABCDE framework are practical reflective questions that can be used during direct work or kept visible as a reminder. Prompts include, “Is this thought 100% true?”, “What evidence do I have?”, “Am I assuming the worst?”, “What would I say to a friend?” and “Is there another way to see this?” These questions fit well with CBT-style thought challenging, emotional literacy work, anxiety support, resilience activities and confidence-building conversations.
The layout works best as a printable poster, handout or session prompt rather than a long worksheet. A social worker, therapist, counsellor, family support worker, teacher, SENCO or parent could use it when a child is stuck in a negative belief, preparing for school worries, reflecting after a difficult incident, or practising coping skills for anxious thoughts. It may also be helpful in small group wellbeing work where children are learning how thoughts, feelings and behaviour connect.
The final reminder, “You can’t always control what happens, but you can choose how you respond to it,” gives the page a practical closing message without being complicated. The resource is credited to Edita Stiborova.
