ABSTRACT
Behavioural experiments in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) serve a cognitive purpose: to test validity of clients' thoughts and beliefs through action assignments, the next stage after in-session verbal discussion of these cognitions. The evidence gathered from these experiments helps clients to construct new problem-solving perspectives. Bennett-Levy et alstate that construct experiments in terms of success or failure but to convey to clients that the outcome of an experiment is of interest whatever happens. Experiments can also be based on observation or conducting survey. Butler et alstate that behavioural experiments engage the person in learning, so therapists should not look 'just for cognitive change, but change across the system as a whole, cognitive, emotional, physical and behavioural'. In our experience, some clients 'jump straight into' carrying out behavioural experiments once they understand the rationale for them and look forward to the expected quicker progress they can make as a result.
