I was asked to take a shot at filling out the Thought Record of what Olivia might experience when she contemplates going to the badminton club. As I read the Case Study and pay particularly close attention to alternative responsesevidence for and against.

Directions: When you notice your mood getting worse, ask yourself, "What' 'going through my mind right now?" and as soon as possible jot down the thought or mental image in the Automatic Thought Column.

DATE/ TIME	SITUATION 1. What actual event or stream of thoughts, or daydreams, or recollection led to the unpleasant emotion? 2. What (if any) distressing physical sensations did you have?	AUTOMATIC THOUGHT(S) 1. What thought(s) and/or image(s) went through your mind? 2. How much did you believe each one at the time?	EMOTION(S) 1. What emotion(s) (sad, anxious, angry, etc.) did you feel at the time? 2. How intense (0100%) was the emotion?	ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE 1. (optional) What cognitive distortion did you make? (e.g., all-or-nothing thinking, mindreading, catastrophizing, etc.) 2. Use questions at bottom to compose a response to the automatic thought(s). 3. How much do you believe each response?	OUTCOME 1. How much do you now believe each automatic thought? 2. What emotion(s) do you feel now? How intense (0100%) is the emotion? 3. What will you do ? (or did you do?)

Questions to help compose an alternative response: (1) What is the evidence that the automatic thought is true? Not true? (2) Is there an alternative explanation? (3) What's the worst that could happen? Could I live through it? What's the best that could happen? What's the most realistic outcome? (4) What's the effect of my believing the automatic thought? What could be the effect of changing my thinking? (5) What should I do about it? (6) If _______________ (friend's name) was in the situation and had this thought, what would I tell him/her?

J.S. Beck, Ph.D. (2006). Cognitive therapy worksheet packet. www.beckinstitute.org

Case Study: Olivia

Olivia is a 16-year-old African American student who is in her sophomore year at the prestigious Hill School in New Hampshire. Olivia, whose family lives in Cleveland, Ohio, was accepted to the school on a scholarship awarded for her academic success in middle school. Her application was completed by her parents and Olivia was ambivalent about attending the school, leaving her friends and family, and living with strangers in a part of the country she had never been to.

Olivia is one of seven African American students who attend the school out of a class of 125 9-12 graders. Olivia had a strong start at Hill, but toward the end of her freshman year her grades began to fall and she began to withdraw from activities and friendships. She returned to Hill reluctantly this fall and is on academic probation. Olivia does attend class but rarely leaves her room for social activities. She used to enjoy participating in the robotics club and playing badminton but stopped last spring. She acknowledges she is depressed, and attributes it to feelings of inadequacy, loneliness, and a pervasive sense that she doesn't belong.

Olivia is well liked by her peers, who are concerned about her withdrawal.