Exposure Therapy & Response Prevention Flashcards

Which is a contraindication that would most likely require modification before beginning standard ERP with a client with OCD?

Answer: Active suicidal ideation with a specific plan

Active suicidal ideation with a plan constitutes an acute safety concern that must be addressed before initiating standard ERP, which can temporarily increase distress.

The concept of 'expectancy violation' in exposure therapy means:

Answer: The exposure disconfirms the client's feared prediction, which is the key mechanism of change

Expectancy violation theory holds that the more clearly a feared prediction is disconfirmed during exposure, the stronger the inhibitory learning and long-term fear reduction.

A therapist conducting exposure for a client with a dog phobia initially has the client look at photographs of dogs. The goal of starting at this level is to:

Answer: Establish a manageable starting point from which the hierarchy can progress

Photographs represent a lower-intensity exposure that allows the client to build initial tolerance and confidence before advancing to more challenging stimuli.

Which of the following best describes 'return of fear' after successful exposure therapy?

Answer: Spontaneous recovery of fear responding after a period without exposure or following stress

Return of fear can occur spontaneously after a time interval (spontaneous recovery) or be triggered by stress, new contexts, or reminders of the original fear acquisition event.

In exposure therapy for health anxiety, which type of exposure would directly address a client's compulsion to check her pulse repeatedly?

Answer: Response prevention of pulse-checking combined with physical activity exposure

Blocking the checking compulsion while deliberately elevating heart rate through activity constitutes both interoceptive exposure and response prevention targeting health anxiety.

A therapist using 'deepened extinction' would most likely:

Answer: Combine two or more feared stimuli simultaneously to create a more challenging exposure

Deepened extinction involves presenting multiple feared cues together, which creates stronger inhibitory learning than single-cue exposures conducted in isolation.

The 'approach' versus 'avoidance' motivational framework in exposure therapy suggests that exposures are most beneficial when the client:

Answer: Engages with exposures motivated by valued life goals rather than purely to reduce anxiety

Framing exposures around meaningful personal values (approach motivation) rather than anxiety elimination increases engagement, effort, and long-term commitment to treatment.