Social Belief Updating Worksheet
Track changes in a specific social belief across multiple experiments — building cumulative evidence for an updated view of yourself in social situations.
Written by Tarun Vermani, Trainee Clinical Psychologist Last reviewed
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Social Belief Updating Worksheet
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Target Belief
Cumulative Evidence
| # | Date | Source of Evidence | What Happened | Conviction After (%) | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |||||
| 2 | |||||
| 3 |
Updated View
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When to use the Social Belief Updating Worksheet
The Social Belief Updating Worksheet is an interactive cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) worksheet, most often used in CBT for social anxiety.
It is designed to be used within therapy rather than as a standalone self-help tool: a therapist introduces it, works through it collaboratively, and helps make sense of what it surfaces. You can preview the full worksheet above, then assign it digitally for clients to complete between sessions on any device — or download it as a print-ready PDF.
How it works
Most people work through it in around 10 minutes. It moves through three short steps:
- Target Belief
- Cumulative Evidence
- Updated View
Completed on the Formulate platform, your client's answers are saved automatically and shared straight back to you, so you can review them before the next session rather than waiting for a paper copy to come back.
The CBT approach behind it
In common with other CBT methods, the Social Belief Updating Worksheet works by noticing the links between situations, thoughts, feelings, physical sensations and behaviour — and finding practical ways to change unhelpful patterns. The aim is not positive thinking but a clearer, shared understanding of what keeps a difficulty going — and practical, testable ways to change it.
Because it is a CBT tool it stays focused on the here-and-now links between thoughts, feelings, the body and behaviour, and it works best as one part of a wider course of therapy rather than as advice or a diagnosis.
Evidence & sources
This worksheet is grounded in established cognitive behavioural therapy theory and practice. Key sources include:
- Clark, D.M. & Wells, A. (1995). A cognitive model of social phobia. In R.G. Heimberg et al. (Eds.), Social Phobia: Diagnosis, Assessment, and Treatment. New York: Guilford Press.
- Greenberger, D. & Padesky, C.A. (2016). Mind Over Mood (2nd ed.). New York: Guilford Press.
For use alongside professional support
Formulate provides educational CBT resources for use with a qualified therapist. They are not a substitute for professional assessment, diagnosis, or crisis care.
If you need urgent help now:
- Emergency services: 999 — if you or someone else is in immediate danger
- Samaritans: 116 123 — free, day or night, 365 days a year
- SANEline: 0800 689 5555 — 4:30pm–10:30pm, every day
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