Spot the Cap, Check the Thought – Exploring Other Perspectives

This CBT worksheet helps young people experiencing social anxiety explore alternative perspectives and develop more balanced ways of thinking about social situations.

Designed to be used alongside our Social Anxiety Thinking Styles worksheet, it builds on five relatable scenarios in which young people have identified unhelpful thinking patterns. Young people are encouraged to revisit these examples and consider alternative interpretations that are more balanced and supported by evidence.

References and Further Reading

  • Alves F, Figueiredo DV, Vagos P. (2022)  The Prevalence of Adolescent Social Fears and Social Anxiety Disorder in School Contexts. Int J Environ Res Public Health
  • American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.).
  • Clark, D. M., & Wells, A. (1995). A cognitive model of social phobia. In R. G. Heimberg, M. R. Liebowitz, D. A. Hope, & F. R. Schneier (Eds.), Social phobia: Diagnosis, assessment, and treatment (p. 69–93). The Guilford Press.
  • Connor, K.M., Davidson, J.R., Churchill, L.E., Sherwood, A., Weisler, R.H. and Foa, E., 2000. Psychometric properties of the Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN): New self-rating scale. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 176(4), pp.379-386.
  • Hofmann SG. Cognitive factors that maintain social anxiety disorder: a comprehensive model and its treatment implications. Cogn Behav Ther. 2007;36(4):193-209. doi: 10.1080/16506070701421313. (Accessed 29/02/24)
  • Kashdan, T.B. and Herbert, J.D., 2001. Social anxiety disorder in childhood and adolescence: Current status and future directions. Clinical child and family psychology review, 4, pp.37-61.
  • Knappe S., Sasagawa S., Creswell C. (2015) Social Anxiety and Phobia in Adolescents. Springer; Cham, Switzerland: Developmental Epidemiology of Social Anxiety and Social Phobia in Adolescents; pp. 39–70.
  • Leigh E, Clark DM. Cognitive Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder in Adolescents: A Development Case Series. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy. 2016;44(1):1-17. doi:10.1017/S1352465815000715 (Accessed 29/02/24)
  • Leigh, E., Percy, R., Clark, D.M., Creswell, C. and Waite, P., 2023. Cognitive and behavioural processes in adolescents with social anxiety disorder. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 170, p.104416.
  • Mohammadi, M.R., Salehi, M., Khaleghi, A., Hooshyari, Z., Mostafavi, S.A., Ahmadi, N., Hojjat, S.K., Safavi, P. and Amanat, M., 2020. Social anxiety disorder among children and adolescents: A nationwide survey of prevalence, socio-demographic characteristics, risk factors and co-morbidities. Journal of affective disorders, 263, pp.450-457.