SPARCS: Structured Psychotherapy for
Adolescents Responding to Chronic Stress
By Jack Komer, 12/2021.
What is SPARCS?
SPARCS is a manually-guided and empirically-supported group treatment designed to improve the emotional, social, academic, and behavioral functioning of adolescents exposed to chronic interpersonal trauma (such as ongoing physical abuse) and/or separate types of trauma (e.g. community violence, sexual assault). The curriculum was designed to address the needs of adolescents who may still be living with ongoing stress and may be experiencing problems in several areas of functioning including difficulties with affect regulation and impulsivity, self-perception, relationships, somatization, dissociation, numbing and avoidance, and struggles with their own purpose and meaning in life as well as worldviews that make it difficult for them to see a future for themselves. The curriculum has been successfully implemented with at-risk youth in various service systems (e.g. schools, juvenile justice, child-welfare, residential) in over a dozen states. SPARCS also addresses comorbidity and impairments in functioning that stem from trauma but are not captured by a diagnosis of PTSD alone (e.g. behavior problems, delinquency, substance use).
Components of SPARCS (NCSTN, 2012, Pg. 2)
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Mindfulness
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Problem-Solving
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Meaning-Making
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Relationship building
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Communication Skills
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Distress Tolerance
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Psychoeducation regarding stress, trauma, and triggers.
Evidence in Support of SPARCS
Research on the Components and Implementation of SPARCS (NCTSN, 2012):
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Ford, J., Blaustein, M., Cloitre, M., Habib, M., Kagan, R. (in press). Developmental
Trauma Disorder-Focused Interventions for Traumatized Children and Adolescents.
In: J.D. Ford & C. A. Courtois (Eds), Treating complex traumatic stress disorders in
children: An evidence-based guide, NY: Guilford Press. -
DeRosa, R. & Pelcovitz. D. (2008). Igniting SPARCS of change: Structured
psychotherapy for adolescents responding to chronic stress. In J. Ford, R. Pat-Horenczyk & D. Brom (Eds.), Treating traumatized children: risk, resilience and
recovery, NY: Routledge. -
DeRosa, R., Habib, M., Pelcovitz, D., Rathus J., Sonnenklar,J., Ford, J., Sunday, S.,
Layne, C., Saltzman, W., Turnbull, A., Labruna, V. & Kaplan, S. (2005). Structured
Psychotherapy for Adolescents Responding to Chronic Stress: A Treatment Guide.
Unpublished manual.
Case Studies, Pilot Studies, and Clinical Trials (NCTSN, 2012):​
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Briggs-King, E. & Shaw, L. (2009). Durham County ABC Board Year End Report. Unpublished Report. Center for Child and Family Health, Durham, N.C.
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DeRosa, R. & Pelcovitz, D. (2006). Treating traumatized adolescent mothers: a structured approach. In: N. Webb (Ed.), Working with traumatized youth in child welfare, NY: Guilford Press, 219-245.
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Habib, M., Labruna, V., & Newman, J. (Manuscript submitted for publication). Complex Histories and Complex Presentations: Implementation of a Manually-Guided Group Treatment for Traumatized Adolescents. Journal of Family Violence.
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Knoverek, A., Underwood, L., Habib, M., Briggs, E. (Manuscript in preparation). Feasibility and Effectiveness of an Adapted Group Treatment for Traumatized Youth.
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Mental Health Services & Policy Program & Illinois Department of Children & Family Services (2008). Final evaluation of the pilot implementation of three evidence-based practices for the treatment of trauma among youth in child welfare. Unpublished report.
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Tandon SD, Mendelson T, Mance G. (2011). Acceptability and preliminary outcomes of a peer-led depression intervention for African American adolescents and young adults in employment training programs. Journal of Community Psychology, 39, 621-628.
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Weiner, D., Schneider, A., and Lyons, J. (2009) Evidence-based treatments for trauma among culturally diverse foster care youth: Treatment retention and outcomes. Children and Youth Services Review, 31, 1199-1205
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Research Outcomes (NCTSN, 2012, Pg. 6-7)
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"Pilot data indicate significant improvement in overall functioning over the course of treatment (as measured by the Youth Outcome Questionnaire SR-2.0 and the UCLA PTSD Reaction Index). Specific findings include:"
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​Significant changes on subscales measuring conduct problems, inattention/
hyperactivity, somatic complaints, high risk behaviors, and interpersonal relationships. -
Significant reduction in PTSD symptoms, with improvements noted in the overall
severity of posttraumatic stress symptoms, as well as scores assessing symptoms related to re- experiencing, avoidance, and hyper-arousal.
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"For African-American Adolescents, youth receiving SPARCS "​
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Were less likely to drop from treatment"​
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Improved significantly on the following CANS subscales: Traumatic Stress Symptom, Life Domain Functioning, and Risk Behaviors.
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"The various studies conducted also found:
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Decreased alcohol and drug use with 75% of adolescents reporting a decrease in
frequency following treatment.​ -
Significant reduction in attachment difficulties and in behavior problems at
school, home, and in the community -
Decrease in disciplinary referrals in an alternative school
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Significant improvement in interpersonal coping and an increase in support
seeking behavior -
Significant decrease in depressive symptoms in youth exposed to community
violence and increase in active coping strategies"
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References
DeRosa, R. & Pelcovitz. D. (in press). Igniting SPARCS of change: Structured psychotherapy for adolescents responding to chronic stress. In J. Ford, R. Pat-Horenczyk & D. Brom (Eds.). Treating traumatized children: risk, resilience and recovery. New York: Routledge.
Ford, J. D. & Russo, E. (2006). Trauma-focused, present-centered, emotional self-regulation approach to integrated treatment for posttraumatic stress and addiction: Trauma Adaptive Recovery Group Education and Therapy (TARGET). American Journal of Psychotherapy. 60, 335-355.
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NCTSN. (2020). SPARCS: Structured Psychotherapy for Adolescents Responding to Chronic Stress [Fact sheet]. https://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/interventions/sparcs_fact_sheet.pdf