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HANDOUT - Blank Skills Diary Card

This document contains a skills diary card template for tracking problem behaviors, substance use, emotions, pain levels, and skill use over time as part of Dialectical Behavior Therapy. The card is used to monitor three identified problem behaviors daily, along with substance intake, highest pain and distress levels, emotion intensity, and effectiveness of skills tried. Tracking these measures helps identify patterns and progress in reducing problem behaviors and increasing skill use.

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82 views2 pages

HANDOUT - Blank Skills Diary Card

This document contains a skills diary card template for tracking problem behaviors, substance use, emotions, pain levels, and skill use over time as part of Dialectical Behavior Therapy. The card is used to monitor three identified problem behaviors daily, along with substance intake, highest pain and distress levels, emotion intensity, and effectiveness of skills tried. Tracking these measures helps identify patterns and progress in reducing problem behaviors and increasing skill use.

Uploaded by

lwells
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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MAY 2022

SKILLS DIARY CARD


Name: Week starting: Day: Day: Day: Day: Day: Day: Day:
Problem Behaviour 1: How strong was the urge to do it (0-5)
Did you do it? (Write Y or N)

Problem Behaviour 2: How strong was the urge to do it (0-5)


Did you do it? (Write Y or N)
How strong was the urge to do it (0-5)
Problem Behaviour 3:
Did you do it? (Write Y or N)
Which substances did you use today?
Substance Use
How much did you use?
Pain Rate physical pain from 0-5
Distress How high did your SUDS get from 0-10?
Emotions Fear
Rate intensity of emotions Sadness
(0-nil to 5-overwhelming) Disgust
Surprise
Anger
Joy
0: Not required 1: Refused to try (WILFUL) 2: Only half tried
Score your skills
3: Tried skill but it didn't help 4: Tried skill, it helped a bit 5: Tried skill, it was helpful

Skills Category: Skill:

Skills Category:

Skills Category:

Skills Category:

Skills Category:
THEPSYCHCOLLECTIVE.COM SKILLS DIARY CARD
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Skills Diary Card
Diary cards are commonly used in Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) to track the use of skills, identify patterns in
problems behaviours and increase treatment adherence. This tool can be used to help you to remember your skills and
measure your progress in reducing problem behaviours over time.

How to use the Diary Card


Identify Problem Behaviours
The Problem Behaviours are the regrettable actions that you engage in that you want to reduce or stop. The idea is that you
pick three problem areas to focus on and monitor the same behaviours over time to track progress. It is important to write
down what the problem is that you want to stop, not the goal that you want to increase.
Examples:
Self-harm, skin picking
Avoidance, isolation or withdrawal
Detaching, dissociating or numbing
Impulsivity in spending, gambling, risky sex, dangerous driving
Aggression, violence, starting fights to sabotage relationships
Binge eating or restrictive eating
Over-sleeping or sleep avoidance
Excessive exercise or avoidance of exercise
Procrastinating on tasks
Neglecting self-care or over-scheduling
Catastrophising, ruminating or self-critical thinking

Once you have selected your problem behaviours, then measure them each day for the urge and action.
Urge: how much did you want to engage in the behaviour? (Rate from 0: didn't care to 5: overwhelming)
Action: did you actually do the behaviour? Write Y for Yes, I did the behaviour and N for No, I didn't do it.

Substance Use
Record which substances you had and how much you used. This is to help track patterns between behaviours, feelings,
pain and skills use. Record all types of substances that are not daily prescribed medications
Examples
Alcohol: How many standard drinks?
PRN: What extra medication did you take (in addition to daily prescribed meds) and how much did you have?
Illicit: What type and how much
Over-the-Counter: Records extra things like Panadol, Nurofen, or anti-histamines. Record the type and amount.

Pain and Distress


Rate the intensity of physical pain at the highest point it reached during the day from 0-5, and rate the highest level your
Subjective Units of Distress (SUDs) reached during the day from 0-10.

Emotions
Rate the intensity of the emotions on a scale of 0 (nil) to 5 (overwhelming). Make the rating based on the highest intensity
they reached at any point during the day.

Score Your Skills


Rate the skills that you know or are trying to practise to measure how effective you were at using the skill. Rate them from
0 = didn't need them to 5 = helpful.

Remember that the aim of the diary card is to identify patterns and detect any missed opportunities. When we see lots of
problem behaviours and intense feelings with no skills, it shows us where the work needs to be done. When we see fewer
problems, balanced feelings and a good mix of skills we know that you are working hard and doing well.

Check out our website for more resources, handouts and videos.
Adapted from Linehan, M. M. (2015). DBT skills training manual (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.

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