Approaches / Compare
ERP and prolonged exposure
Both approaches use planned, repeated approach to feared material. They were developed for different problems, and what a person approaches differs. This page compares emphasis, not outcomes.
| Aspect | Exposure and response prevention (ERP) | Prolonged exposure (PE) |
|---|---|---|
| Developed for | Obsessive compulsive disorder. | Post-traumatic stress. |
| What is approached | Triggers of obsessions, such as situations, objects or thoughts. | Memories of the trauma and situations avoided because of it. |
| Response prevention | A defining element: agreeing not to carry out compulsions or rituals. | Not a defining element. Avoidance is addressed by approaching, without a ritual to refrain from. |
| Typical methods | A graded list of exposures, practised in and between sessions. | Recounting the memory aloud, listening to a recording, and real-life exposures. |
| Usual format | Individual, group, online or intensive, sometimes with family involved. | Usually individual weekly sessions of about 90 minutes. |
| Guidance | NICE names ERP within psychological treatment for OCD (England and Wales). | NICE lists prolonged exposure among individual trauma-focused CBT interventions for adult PTSD in England and Wales; the APA and US Department of Veterans Affairs publish separate adult PTSD guidance. |
This comparison describes emphasis. It does not say which approach is more effective, and it is not advice on treatment.
Sources are listed on the ERP and PE entries. Back to all comparisons.
Educational draft · Subject review pending