Title: SPARCS
1SPARCS Structured Psychotherapy for Adolescents
Responding to Chronic Stress A Guide for
Trauma-Focused Groups
SM
Mandy Habib, Psy.D. Ruth DeRosa, Ph.D.
North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System
Adolescent Trauma Treatment Development Center
Manhasset, New York mhabib_at_nshs.edu
1
2Still in the Middle of the Hurricane
2
3Complex PTSD
SPARCS
Complex PTSD
Complex PTSD
Complex PTSD
3
4Complex PTSD
- Regulation of Affect Impulses
- Cognitive Functioning/
- Dissociation
- Somatization
- Sense of Self
- Relationships
- Systems of Meaning
4
5Development of the Manual
Adapted From
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy
- for Adolescents
- Miller, Rathus Linehan, in press
- UCLA Trauma/Grief
- Group Psychotherapy
- Layne, Saltzman, Pynoos, et al., 2000
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6SPARCS Collaborations
- Outpatient Clinics
- Childrens Institute Incorporated, LA, CA
- The Village Family Services, North Hollywood, CA
- Mental Health Center of Dane County, Madison, WI
- Open Arms, Albany, GA
- New York Foundling, NYC
- Adolescent HIV Clinic, North Shore LIJ
- Dept. of Children Family Services, (foster
care), Chicago, Illinois - Residential Day Treatment
- Madonna Heights RTC RTF, Dix Hills, NY
- Andrus Childrens Center, Yonkers, NY
- Dane County Group Home, Madison, WI
- St. Marys Group Home, Boston, MA
- Adolescent Substance Abuse Program, North Shore
LIJ - School-based groups
- St. Vincents, NYC
- Safe Horizon, NYC
- Center for Child and Family Health, Durham, NC
- Teenage Parenting Program, Seaford, NY
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7SPARCS Group Members
- For adolescents between 12-19 years old
- History of chronic (interpersonal) trauma
- Designed for adolescents who may be living with
significant ongoing stressors - May or may never have met full criteria for PTSD
- Exhibit functional impairment
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8SPARCS
- 16 Sessions (60 minutes per session)
- Present-focused
- No systematic exposure component included
- Strength-based
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9Broad Goals of the ProgramEnhance Resilience
- The Cs
- Connect with others (communicate)
- Cope more effectively in the moment
- Cultivate awareness
- Create meaning
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10SPARCS Core Skills
- MAKE A LINK
communication connecting with others
- Let M Go problem-solving and creating
meaning - Distress Tolerance coping more
effectively in the moment - Mindfulness cultivating awareness
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11Session Structure
- Check In
- Mindfulness practice
- Review of application of previous weeks topics
- Session-specific content
- Activities role plays, movie clips, projects
- Snack
- Check-out
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12Bottle About to Burst
Psychoeducation re Stress Reactions
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13Reactions to Trauma
Mental Shutdown (Dissociation) People tell me Im
spacing out a lot. I fee like Im in a dream or
dont know myself. I feel like Im watching
myself from outside, Its like separate parts of
me take control of my life.
Trying to Feel Safe/In Control I wont let myself
eat. I make myself throw up because I am afraid
of losing control of my eating and gaining
weight. I eat to feel better. I drink or drug to
try to forget.
Extreme Risk-Taking or Self-Harm I do dangerous
things, hanging out where I could get hurt. I get
relief by cutting, punching, or hurting my body.
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14Preliminary SPARCS Outcome Data
- All subjects
- Completed SPARCS group treatment
- Had previous trauma
- Had pre-treatment Youth Outcome Questionnaire
total scores in clinical range, i.e.gt47 - Were female, mean age 15.46 years
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15 YOQ (n20)
Community norm total 10.6-37.2
plt.05
15