Exposure And Response Prevention
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Offers theory, guidance, and prompts for mental health professionals. Downloads are in Fillable PDF format where appropriate.
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Introduction & Theoretical Background
Exposure And Response Prevention (ERP) is one of the recommended treatments for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). In simple terms ERP involves exposing yourself to a trigger for your obsessions and refraining from performing your usual compulsions. This often involves tolerating anxiety, and you are encouraged to record the pattern of this over time as you complete ERP.
Therapist Guidance
The technique of exposure and response prevention should only be carried out in the presence of a clear shared formulation of why it is expected to be helpful. The basic steps involved in EX/RP are:
- Expose yourself to the trigger
- Resist performing the compulsion
- Record distress (or urge to perform compulsion) over time
References And Further Reading
- Abramowitz, J. S. (1996). Variants of exposure and response prevention in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder: A meta-analysis. Behavior Therapy, 27(4), 583-600.
- Boersma, K., Den Hengst, S., Dekker, J., & Emmelkamp, P. M. (1976). Exposure and response prevention in the natural environment: A comparison with obsessive-compulsive patients. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 14(1), 19-24.