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TARGET: Trauma Affect Regulation - 
Guide for Education and Therapy
 

By Jack Komer, 12/2021.

What is TARGET?                                                                                     

TARGET is a strengths-based approach to education and therapy for survivors of physical, sexual, psychological, and emotional trauma. TARGET teaches a set of seven skills that can be used by trauma survivors to regulate extreme emotional states, manage intrusive trauma memories, promote self-efficacy, and achieve lasting recovery from trauma.

Components of TARGET (NCTSN, 2012)

  • Engagement

  • Emotion Regulation

  • Trauma Processing

  • Relational Repair

Evidence of Bounce Back Effectiveness (NCTSN, 2012)

Clinical Trials with Controlled Groups:

  • Ford, J. D., & Hawke, J. (2012). Trauma affect regulation psychoeducation group and milieu intervention 
      outcomes in juvenile detention facilities. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 21(4). 365-384. 
      DOI:10.1080/10926771.2012.673538

  • Marrow, M., Knudsen, K., Olafson, E., & Bucher, S. (2012). The value of implementing TARGET within a 
      trauma-informed juvenile justice setting. Journal of Child and Adolescent Trauma, 5, 257-270

Randomized, Controlled Trials:

  • Frisman, L. K., Ford, J. D., Lin, H., Mallon, S., & Chang, R. (2008). Outcomes of trauma treatment using the 
      TARGET model. Journal of Groups in Addiction and Recovery, 3, 285-303.

  • Ford, J. D., Steinberg, K., & Zhang, W. (2011). A randomized clinical trial comparing affect regulation and 
      social problem-solving psychotherapies for mothers with victimization-related PTSD. Behavior Therapy, 42, 
      561-578. doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2010.12.005

  • Ford, J. D., Steinberg, K., Hawke, J., Levine, J., & Zhang, W. (2012). Randomized trial comparison of 
      emotion regulation and relational psychotherapies for PTSD with girls involved in delinquency. Journal of 
      Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 41, 27-37. DOI: 10.1080/15374416.2012.632343 

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TARGET
Program Site
 

National Child Traumatic Stress Network Fact Sheet on TARGET
 

TARGET Curriculum Webpage

References

Ford, J. D., & Hawke, J. (2012). Trauma affect regulation psychoeducation group and milieu intervention outcomes in juvenile detention facilities. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 21(4). 365-384. DOI:10.1080/10926771.2012.673538


Ford, J. D., Steinberg, K., Hawke, J., Levine, J., & Zhang, W. (2012). Randomized trial comparison of emotion regulation and relational psychotherapies for PTSD with girls involved in delinquency. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 41, 27-37. DOI: 10.1080/15374416.2012.632343 


Ford, J. D., Steinberg, K., & Zhang, W. (2011). A randomized clinical trial comparing affect regulation and social problem-solving psychotherapies for mothers with victimization-related PTSD. Behavior Therapy, 42, 561-578. doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2010.12.005 


Frisman, L. K., Ford, J. D., Lin, H., Mallon, S., & Chang, R. (2008). Outcomes of trauma treatment using the TARGET model. Journal of Groups in Addiction and Recovery, 3, 285-303.


Marrow, M., Knudsen, K., Olafson, E., & Bucher, S. (2012). The value of implementing TARGET within a trauma-informed juvenile justice setting. Journal of Child and Adolescent Trauma, 5, 257-270.

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NCSTN. (2017). TARGET: Trauma Affect Regulation: Guide for Education and Therapy [Fact sheet]. https://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/interventions/target_fact_sheet.pdf

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