Thought Detective Pre-Test
CBT Skills Inventory Grade 4 • Pre-Assessment
Thought Detective Pre-Test
Discover what you already know about your brain, thoughts, feelings, and actions!
Name:
Date:
How to Answer: Read each sentence. Circle the number that best matches your honest answer!
1
Disagree A Lot
Not true for me yet
2
Disagree A Little
Only sometimes true
3
Agree A Little
Pretty true for me
4
Agree A Lot
Totally true for me!
Part 1: The Cognitive Triangle (Thoughts, Feelings & Behaviors)
Scale: 1 (Lowest) to 4 (Highest)
- I understand how my Thoughts (what I think), Feelings (what I feel inside), and Behaviors (what I do) connect like a triangle.
1 2 3 4
- When an event happens, it is my thoughts about the situation that cause my emotional feelings, not just the event itself.
1 2 3 4
- I know that changing the way I think about a problem can help change how I feel and how I choose to react.
1 2 3 4
- I can trace a personal example: telling someone what I thought, what feeling popped up, and what I ended up doing.
1 2 3 4
Part 2: Helpful Thoughts vs. Unhelpful Thoughts
Scale: 1 (Lowest) to 4 (Highest)
- I know the difference between an helpful thought (realistic, calming, encouraging) and an unhelpful thought (distorted, harsh, gives up easily).
1 2 3 4
- I understand that just because my brain creates a negative thought, that does not automatically make it a true fact.
1 2 3 4
- When I think "I am terrible at math," I know how to turn it into a helpful thought like "This is hard right now, but I can ask for help."
1 2 3 4
- I regularly notice whether my thoughts are making me feel stronger or making me feel stuck.
1 2 3 4
Thought Detective Pre-Test • Student Self-Assessment
Turn over to Page 2
Thought Detective Pre-Test • Page 2
Scale Reminder: 1 = Disagree A Lot | 2 = Disagree A Little | 3 = Agree A Little | 4 = Agree A Lot
Part 3: Spotting & Naming Thinking Traps
Rate Your Confidence
Thinking traps are sneaky thinking habits that trick our brains into feeling worried, upset, or defeated.
- All-or-Nothing Thinking: I can recognize when someone believes things are either 100% perfect or a complete failure, with no in-between.
1 2 3 4
- Catastrophizing (Mountain out of a Molehill): I can identify when a thought expects the absolute worst possible disaster to happen.
1 2 3 4
- Mind Reading: I can spot when someone assumes they know what someone else is thinking about them, without any real proof.
1 2 3 4
- Fortune Telling: I can recognize when someone predicts things will go terribly wrong before even trying.
1 2 3 4
- Negative Filter: I can catch when someone focuses only on one little mistake and forgets all the good things that happened.
1 2 3 4
Part 4: Detective Case Scenarios (Applying What You Know)
Circle 1 - 4
Case A: Mateo's teammate drops the ball, and Mateo thinks: "Our whole season is destroyed!"
Statement 14: I can name the thinking trap Mateo fell into and explain why it is unhelpful.
1 2 3 4
Case B: Chloe raises her hand and gives the wrong answer. She thinks: "Everyone thinks I'm stupid."
Statement 15: I know an alternative, helpful thought Chloe could use to calm herself down.
1 2 3 4
Case C: Jayden has a test tomorrow. His thought is: "I will definitely fail anyway."
Statement 16: I can describe how Jayden's thought leads directly to an emotion and an unhelpful behavior.
1 2 3 4
Detective Self-Reflection
What is one thing about how your brain works that you are most excited to learn more about?
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Skills • Baseline Pre-Test Total Statements: 16 • Complete
Thought Detective Post-Test
CBT Skills Mastery Grade 4 • Post-Assessment
Thought Detective Post-Test
Celebrate your growth! Show how much your brain skills and CBT detective tools have leveled up!
Name:
Date:
How to Answer: Read each sentence. Circle the number that best matches your honest answer!
1
Disagree A Lot
Not true for me yet
2
Disagree A Little
Only sometimes true
3
Agree A Little
Pretty true for me
4
Agree A Lot
Totally true for me!
Part 1: The Cognitive Triangle (Thoughts, Feelings & Behaviors)
Scale: 1 (Lowest) to 4 (Highest)
- I understand how my Thoughts (what I think), Feelings (what I feel inside), and Behaviors (what I do) connect like a triangle.
1 2 3 4
- When an event happens, it is my thoughts about the situation that cause my emotional feelings, not just the event itself.
1 2 3 4
- I know that changing the way I think about a problem can help change how I feel and how I choose to react.
1 2 3 4
- I can trace a personal example: telling someone what I thought, what feeling popped up, and what I ended up doing.
1 2 3 4
Part 2: Helpful Thoughts vs. Unhelpful Thoughts
Scale: 1 (Lowest) to 4 (Highest)
- I know the difference between an helpful thought (realistic, calming, encouraging) and an unhelpful thought (distorted, harsh, gives up easily).
1 2 3 4
- I understand that just because my brain creates a negative thought, that does not automatically make it a true fact.
1 2 3 4
- When I think "I am terrible at math," I know how to turn it into a helpful thought like "This is hard right now, but I can ask for help."
1 2 3 4
- I regularly notice whether my thoughts are making me feel stronger or making me feel stuck.
1 2 3 4
Thought Detective Post-Test • Growth Check & Self-Assessment
Turn over to Page 2
Thought Detective Post-Test • Page 2
Scale Reminder: 1 = Disagree A Lot | 2 = Disagree A Little | 3 = Agree A Little | 4 = Agree A Lot
