Fortune-telling cognitive distortions worksheet
Helping clients understand thought errors, such as the jumping to conclusions cognitive distortion, can be an empowering way to help them reframe unhelpful thoughts.
This article provides an overview of cognitive distortions and shows how to use a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) worksheet to address this thought error with clients.
We’ve also included a free and downloadable jumping to conclusions worksheet that you can save to your electronic health record (EHR) and use in your practice.
What is the jumping to conclusions cognitive distortion?
Jumping to conclusions is a cognitive distortion in which a person assumes they know what others are thinking (mind-reading) or can predict the future (fortune-telling) without supporting evidence.
This thought error can lead to misinterpreting behavior and situations, negative self-perception, and worsening mental health symptoms such as anxiety.
Cognitive distortions are a type of maladaptive thinking that leads to misinterpretation of others and the world. Most people experience them from time to time, but frequent occurrences can indicate underlying negative core beliefs about themselves. This can cause a cascade of unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and can lead to mental health concerns like anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem.
Other common cognitive distortions include:
“Should” and “must” statements: These statements often stem from familial conditioning—the belief that things should or must be done a certain way, or something bad will happen.
Catastrophizing: Despite facts to the contrary or assurances from others, a client dreads the worst possible outcome of a situation. For example, a client whose partner is a few minutes late may become convinced they've been in an accident. Learn more with our catastrophizing cognitive distortion worksheet.
Personalization: Taking things personally, even when they aren't related to the client. For example, a client may blame themselves for a situation outside their control. Learn more with our personalization cognitive distortion worksheet.
Emotional reasoning: The belief that feeling a certain way automatically means the thoughts associated with that feeling are true. For example, a client who feels anxious may assume something terrible is about to happen.
Labeling: Thinking that an isolated event or behavior shapes self-perception or the view of another person and all future interactions. For example, a client may overgeneralize one mistake into a fixed identity, thinking "I'm a failure" or "I'm stupid."
Minimizing or magnifying: Either downplaying or exaggerating the importance of a person, event, or action. For example, a client may refuse to take credit for an accomplishment or treat a small typo as a career-ending mistake.
Mental filtering: Also called disqualifying the positive, this thought error involves focusing entirely on failures and filtering out any positive information.
Mind-reading: Assuming the thoughts, feelings, and intentions of others, even if they haven't spoken. For example, a client who walks into a bar and sees a couple of people turn around may think, "Everyone was looking at me when I walked in. They must think I'm not cool enough to be there."
Jumping to conclusions: Cognitive distortion examples
The jumping to conclusions cognitive distortion typically shows up as mind-reading or fortune-telling. Clients might say:
Mind-reading
"My friend didn't say hi to me at the bar last night. She must be upset with me."
"She didn't text back right away. She must not want to be friends anymore."
"They didn't invite me to that party because they think I'm a loser."
"I know they were laughing about me."
"My boss looked away during my presentation. He must think I'm stupid."
"He left the date early because he must know I'm not marriage material."
"If I speak up in class, they'll think I'm an idiot."
"They walked away from me at the party because I made it weird."
"He was quiet during therapy because he's angry at me."
Fortune-telling
"I am not going to get this job."
"I'll never make any friends in this town."
"I am going to mess up this assignment, and I'll fail the class."
The good news is that clients can reframe this thought distortion with practice. Download our jumping to conclusions worksheet to help them get started.
How to use the jumping to conclusions worksheet
You can download and use the jumping to conclusions worksheet in several ways:
Use the worksheet as a prompt to provide psychoeducation about cognitive distortions or answer client questions.
Give the client a copy of the worksheet to take home.
Ask the client to reflect on the worksheet in between sessions, identify examples of the jumping to conclusions cognitive distortion, and report their findings at their next therapy appointment.
Combine this worksheet with other CBT-related worksheets, including our CBT triangle worksheet, putting thoughts on trial, catastrophizing cognitive distortion worksheet, cognitive distortions worksheet, CBT for anxiety worksheet, and CBT thought record.
Use this worksheet to train interns or supervisees to use CBT to reframe common cognitive distortions.
Share the jumping to conclusions worksheet with colleagues.
Sources
Chand, S. P., Kuckel, D. P., & Huecker, M. R. (2023). Cognitive behavior therapy. StatPearls Publishing.
Grinspoon, P. (2022). How to recognize and tame your cognitive distortions. Harvard Health Publishing.
Sokol, L., & Fox, M. G. (2019). The comprehensive clinician's guide to cognitive behavioral therapy. PESI Publishing.
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