Evaluate solutions against costs, benefits, and fit

Rate each solution on likelihood of success, personal costs, and fit with your values.

Why it works

Emotion-driven decision-making in depression is biased toward worst-case outcomes and underestimates capacity to cope. Structured evaluation introduces a more balanced assessment by explicitly requiring that benefits, not just costs, are considered. The process also surfaces implicit values and constraints that would otherwise bias solution choice without awareness.

How to do it

1. Rate each solution on a simple 1–5 scale for: likelihood of solving the problem, personal cost (time, money, discomfort), and alignment with your values.
2. Shortlist the two or three highest-rated options.
3. For each, briefly consider: what could go wrong, and is that acceptable?
4. Choose the solution that best balances effectiveness, feasibility, and fit — not the "perfect" one.

Evidence

Structured decision-making is a component of PST protocols with RCT support; the multi-criteria evaluation approach is consistent with multi-attribute decision theory and clinical decision-making research. (clinical)

The specific rating scales used vary across PST implementations; no single evaluation format has been demonstrated superior in clinical trials.

Common mistake

Choosing the solution with the least discomfort rather than the most effectiveness — the evaluation step should optimise for the stated goal, not for avoiding anxiety.