Baseline & Behavioural Reset Log: A Free 7-Day Screen Craving Self-Monitoring Worksheet
Behavioural Addiction · CBT · Research-supported
A 7-day self-monitoring log for the CBT-IA behavioural-modification phase of screen-craving work: trigger and context, urge intensity on a 0-10 scale, what the client did instead of checking, how long the urge lasted, and how they felt afterwards, closing with end-of-week reflection prompts that turn seven days of entries into a pattern the client can see for themselves.
Underlying mechanism: CBT-IA Behavioural Self-Monitoring
What it helps with
- Replacing a client’s impression of "I’m on my phone constantly" with real numbers — how often, how strong, how long.
- Building the evidence base a later ACT values plan or DBT skills card can be built on, rather than working from guesswork.
- Surfacing which specific moments in a school day or evening carry the highest urge intensity.
How clinicians use it
- Set as between-session homework, covering at least two school days so the log captures a real range of triggers.
- Emphasise non-judgemental data collection — explicitly frame it as detective work, not policing.
- Resist problem-solving prematurely when reviewing it together; the first pass is for noticing the pattern, not fixing it.
Reviewing the Log Together
- Look for the highest-intensity rows first — these are the moments most worth building a specific plan around.
- Notice successes as data, not exceptions: a 7 that did not lead to checking is evidence the client can already do this.
- End on the client’s own reflection prompts before offering any clinician interpretation of the week.
What the worksheet looks like
| Day / Time | Trigger | Urge (0-10) | What I did instead | How long it lasted | After |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon, break | Sat alone at lunch | 7 | Texted a friend to sit together tomorrow | 4 minutes | Still a bit flat, but proud I didn’t check |
| Wed, evening | Bored, homework finished | 5 | Went downstairs and watched TV with family | 10 minutes | Forgot about it once the show started |
| Fri, before bed | Notification badge visible | 9 | Checked it — couldn’t resist | 1 minute to check, then 20 more scrolling | Slept later than planned, annoyed at myself |
Clinical cautions
If a parent or carer will see this log, agree that beforehand with the client — the log is a clinical tool, not a surveillance device, and trust in that distinction matters for engagement.
References
- Young, K. S. (2013). Treatment outcomes using CBT-IA with Internet-addicted patients. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 2(4), 209-215.
Part of
Screen Craving in the Phone-Ban Era
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