Take-home sheet · A story from Distortion Detective
Kayla: focusing on the mistakes when she scored an A
CBTHero
Kayla gets her essay back with a 94 at the top. Next to the grade, her teacher wrote "Strong argument, really clear voice." She also circled three things: two missing commas and one sentence marked "rephrase." Kayla reads the circled parts over and over. When her friend says, "A 94? That's amazing," Kayla says, "It wasn't that good. There are so many red marks."
First thought“I should've gotten a 100. I always make mistakes. My essay wasn't that good because the teacher corrected it. Other students do better than me. Even when I try my hardest, it's never enough. Why can't I do anything right?”
In the game
Which thinking trap caught Kayla? Name the trap, then check whether the thought holds up.
Talk it overThree questions for after you play. There are no wrong answers.
- 1
What was Kayla's first thought?
- 2
Which thinking trap do you think caught Kayla?
- 3
Has something like this happened to you? What's a more balanced thought you could try?
Play it free: cbthero.com/games/distortion-detective/custom-4efed6af
Practice sheet: The Six Thinking Traps · cbthero.com/printables/thinking-traps
Ages 10–16 · Online