When It Is Used
Use it when the client is considering a behavior change but remains ambivalent or not yet committed.
Decisional Balance Worksheet (DBW)
Decisional Balance Worksheet (DBW) is a behavior-change and motivational interviewing worksheet for practitioners working with a patient or client who is considering change but remains ambivalent. It helps the practitioner and client organize reasons for not changing, reasons against not changing, reasons for changing, reasons against changing, and optional readiness information.
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Tool guide
Learn more about this tool
Use this background section to understand when the tool fits, how practitioners use it, and what to consider before sharing it with clients.
What It Captures
The worksheet captures the target behavior, reasons connected to not changing and changing, perceived barriers or costs, strengths or motivations, and optional readiness.
What It Does Not Do
The tool does not score the decision, predict success, diagnose, or generate a behavior-change plan.
Does DBW tell the client what choice to make?
No. It organizes ambivalence in a balanced matrix and leaves interpretation and next steps to the practitioner-client conversation.
Is readiness required?
No. Readiness is optional and can be included or omitted by the practitioner.
Can blank quadrants be left blank?
Yes. Blank quadrants remain visible without implying failure, although the practitioner may use them as discussion points.
What is saved when I save the demo?
The DBW tool itself and selected configuration are saved. Sample client entries and demo readiness values are not saved as real client data.