Pain Activity Diary

The Pain Activity Diary is designed to help individuals track their daily activities and pain levels in hourly intervals.

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Professional version

Offers theory, guidance, and prompts for mental health professionals. Downloads are in Fillable PDF format where appropriate.

Client version

Includes client-friendly guidance. Downloads are in Fillable PDF format where appropriate.

Editable version (PPT)

An editable Microsoft PowerPoint version of the resource.

Overview

Activity diaries are a crucial information-gathering tool. They can be used for activity monitoring during an assessment phase of therapy, symptom monitoring during therapy, correlating activity with symptoms, or activity scheduling as part of behavioral activation. This Pain Activity Diary includes spaces to record activity for 1 hour time slots throughout the day as well as space to record levels of pain.

Why Use This Resource?

The Pain Activity Diary is versatile and supports multiple therapy objectives.

  • Monitor pain-activity associations.
  • Assess changes in symptoms over time.
  • Schedule activities in advance and observe their impact on pain levels.

Key Benefits

Tracking

Offers hourly tracking for precise assessment.

Learning

Provides insights into activity patterns and how they influence pain.

Adaptable

Useful for monitoring and scheduling purposes.

Engaging

Encourages client involvement in therapy.

Who is this for?

Pain

Clients experiencing persistent or recurrent physical discomfort that impacts their mood or daily functioning.

Integrating it into your practice

01

Introduce

Explain the benefits and rationale for activity monitoring or scheduling.

02

Identify

Discuss and agree what will be recorded in the diary.

03

Practice

Rehearse completing the diary in-session.

04

Review

Review the client's completed diary.

05

Adjust

Modify self-monitoring based on progress, shifting focus as needed.

Theoretical Background & Therapist Guidance

Activity diaries are a crucial information-gathering tool. They can be used for activity monitoring during an assessment phase of therapy, symptom monitoring during therapy, correlating activity with symptoms, or activity scheduling as part of behavioural activation. This Pain Activity Diary includes spaces to record activity for 1 hour time slots throughout the day as well as space to record levels of pain.

For activity monitoring clients should be instructed to record their activity in the 1 hour time slots throughout the day, and to record their associated level of pain for each time period.

For activity scheduling clients should be instructed to plan and schedule desired activities in advance, and to record whether the scheduled activities were completed, and to record their associated level of pain.

What's inside

  • An introduction to panic and self-monitoring.
  • Therapist suggestions for using the resource.
  • Key references and suggestions for further reading.
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FAQs

It supports client engagement, informs case conceptualization and treatment planning, and provides an ongoing measure of the client's difficulties.
Clients log their activities hourly and rate their pain from 0 to 10, which provides insights into how activities impact pain levels.
Yes, clients can plan activities ahead of time, record whether they complete them, and note any associated pain levels.

How This Resource Improves Clinical Outcomes

Integrating diary keeping into therapy supports:

  • Enhanced understanding and management of pain and activity levels.
  • Data-driven insights for more effective treatment planning and intervention.
  • Increased client engagement and insight into their difficulties.

References And Further Reading

  • Beck, A.T., Rush, A.J., Shaw, B.F., & Emery, G. (1979). Cognitive therapy of depression. New York: Guilford.