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Scenes from the Department of Human Development and Family Studies

Jacqueline A. Sparks

Highest Degree:
Ph.D. in Family Therapy from Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL

Curriculum Vita

Other Credentials:
Clinical Member, AAMFT; Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist; Approved Supervisor, AAMFT; Clinical Member, RIAMFT

Teaching interests:
Client-directed, outcome informed approaches to change; feedback processes and change in couple and family therapy; transforming systems of care to privilege client goals and preferences and promote social justice; common factors and therapeutic outcome; historical and political contexts of family therapy.

Scholarly and Creative Interests

The impact of systematic integration of client feedback on outcome in couple and family therapy

 

Patterns of the alliance in couple and family therapy

 

Use of client feedback in community-based systems of care for at-risk families

 

Incorporation of outcome management in clinical training and teaching curricula

 

Project Leader - Heart and Soul of Change Project www.heartandsoulofchange.com

 

Critical examination of medical approaches to child and adolescent mental and behavioral distress

 

Board Member - International Society for Ethical Psychology and Psychiatry

 

Scientific Advisory Board - Mindfreedom International

 

Dissertation: Media Madness: The Social Construction of Mental Illness in Popular Culture

 

Selected Publications

Cooper, M., Stewart, D., Sparks, J., Bunting, L. (in press). School-based counseling using systematic feedback: A cohort study evaluating outcomes and predictors of change. Psychotherapy Research.

 

Owen, J., Duncan, B., Anker, M., & Sparks, J. (2012, February 13). Initial relationship goal and couple therapy outcomes at post and six-month follow-up. Journal of Family Psychology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1037/a0026998.

 

Sparks, J., & Duncan, B. (2012). Pediatric antipsychotics: A call for ethical care. In S. Olfman & B. D. Robbins, Eds., Drugging our children: How profiteers are pushing antipsychotics on our youngest (pp. 81-98). Santa Barbara: Praeger Publishers.

 

Sparks, J. A., Kisler, T. A., Adams, J. F., & Blumen, D. G. (2011). Teaching accountability: Using client feedback to train family therapists. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 37(4), 452-467.

 

Anker, M. G., Sparks, J. A., Duncan, B. L., Owen, J. J., & Stapnes, A. K. (2011). Footprints of couple therapy: Client reflections at follow-up. Journal of Family Psychotherapy, 22(1), 22-45.

 

Anker, M. G., Duncan, B. L, Owen, J., & Sparks, J. A. (2010). The alliance in couple therapy: Partner influence, early change, and alliance patterns in a naturalistic sample. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 78(5), 635-645.

 

Sparks, J. A., & Duncan, B. L. (2010). Common factors in couple and family therapy: Must all have prizes? In B. L. Duncan, S. D. Miller, B. E. Wampold, & M. A. Hubble (Eds.), The heart and soul of change: Delivering what works (2nd ed., pp. 357-392). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

 

Sparks, J., Duncan, B. L., Cohen, D., & Antonuccio, D. (2010). Psychiatric drugs and common factors: An evaluation of risks and benefits for clinical practice. In B. L. Duncan, S. D. Miller, B. E. Wampold, & M. A. Hubble (Eds.), The heart and soul of change: Delivering what works (2nd ed., pp. 199-236). Washington DC: American Psychological Association.

 

Duncan, B., & Sparks, J. (2010). Heroic clients, heroic agencies: Partners for change. (2nd ed.). Jensen Beach, FL: Author.

 

Anker, M. G., Duncan, B. L., & Sparks, J. A. (2009). Using client feedback to improve couple therapy outcomes: A randomized clinical trial in a naturalistic setting. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 77(4), 693-704.

 

Sparks, J. A., Muro, M. L. (2009). Client-directed wraparound: The client as connector in

community collaboration. Journal of Systemic Therapies, 28(3), 63-76.

 

Sparks, J. A., Duncan, B. L., & Miller, S. D. (2006). Integrating psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy: Myths and the missing link. Journal of Family Psychotherapy, 17 (3/4), 83-108.

 

Duncan, B., Miller, S., & Sparks, J. (2004). The heroic client: A revolutionary way to improve

effectiveness through client-directed, outcome-informed therapy. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

 

Sparks, J. A. (2002). Taking a stand: An adolescent girl’s resistance to medication. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 28 (1), 27-38.

 

Sparks, J. A. (2002). Taking a stand: Challenging medical discourse. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 28 (1), 51-59.

 

Sparks, J. A. (2000). The deconstruction of magic: Rereading, rethinking Erickson. Family Process, 39 (3), 307-318.

 

Links:

http://www.heartandsoulofchange.com