Preliminary results of a study examining the implementation and effects of a trauma recovery framework for youths in residential treatment

Preliminary results are presented from a study that examined the implementation and short-term effects of the Sanctuary Model as it was being incorporated into residential treatment programs for youth. It was proposed that within the context of safe, supportive, stable, and socially responsible therapeutic communities, a trauma recovery treatment framework could be used to teach youths effective adaptation and coping skills to replace non-adaptive cognitive, social, and behavioral strategies acquired as means of coping with traumatic life experiences. By the final wave of data collection, residential units implementing the Sanctuary Model were significantly stronger on dimensions of the treatment environment that measured support, autonomy, spontaneity, personal problem orientation, and safety, in comparison to residential units not implementing the model. Youth made gains over time in one measured domain of coping skills and on another scale assessing the extent to which they had a sense of control over their lives.