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Papers by joel fischer

Research paper thumbnail of Meta-analysis: The Premise, the Problems, the Promise

Toward Evidence-Based Practice

What responsibilities do social workers have when new tools or technologies became available? The... more What responsibilities do social workers have when new tools or technologies became available? The possibilities range from uncritical and total adoption of the new technology, to uncritical and total rejection of the new technology. Somewhere in between lies the critical evaluation and assessment of the potentialities of the new technology, and adoption or adaptation of those components that both can withstand careful scrutiny and appear to offer benefits for some aspects of the social work enterprise. With the fairly recent advent of the methods of meta-analysis, social work has the perfect opportunity to engage in this process of careful and critical evaluation of a new technology that may have important implications for the field.

Research paper thumbnail of The relationship between personal value orientations, client diagnostic variables, and casework treatment decisions

Research paper thumbnail of The effectiveness of social casework

An academic directory and search engine.

Research paper thumbnail of Evaluating Practice: Guidelines for the Accountable Professional

Preface Prologue Part I What Are You Getting Into? 1 Integrating Evaluation and Practice Introduc... more Preface Prologue Part I What Are You Getting Into? 1 Integrating Evaluation and Practice Introduction to Single-System Designs What Are Single-System Designs? Evidence-Based Practice Single-System Designs and Classical Research: The Knowledge-Building Context Single-System Evaluation, Qualitative Research, and Quantitative Research Advantages of Using Single-System Designs in Practice A Walk through the Evaluation Process Summary Part II Conceptualizing and Measuring Targets and Objectives/Goals 2 Basic Principles of Conceptualization and Measurement Introduction What Is Conceptualization? What Is Measurement? Definition as a First Step in Measurement Can Everything Be Measured? Key Characteristics of All Measures Summary 3 Specifying Problems and Goals Introduction: From General Problems to Specific Targets of Intervention Specifying Client Concerns: Identifying and Clarifying Problems and Potentials Specifying Goals and Objectives Using Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS) to Establish G...

Research paper thumbnail of Why I love social work

Journal of Evidence-Informed Social Work

Research paper thumbnail of Statistical Training for Social Workers

Journal of Social Work Education

EJ370668 - Statistical Training for Social Workers.

Research paper thumbnail of Book Review: Cognitive Processes and Emotional Disorders: A Structural Approach to Psychotherapy

Social Casework

well chosen. The articles, for the most part, are well written, conceptually as well as practical... more well chosen. The articles, for the most part, are well written, conceptually as well as practically focused, and enlivened by case examples of group interactions and activities. Details are provided about promising techniques and difficulties encountered so that practitioners who wish to establish similar groups can find guidelines for their work and avoid mistakes. The groups portrayed illustrate the creative and facilitative way in which group workers can approach client needs. The editor states in the preface that group psychotherapy is carried out via many different approaches. Among those represented in the shortterm groups reported on here are the psychoanalytic, behavioral, consciousness-raising, activity group, and existential ones. No matter which model was used, the authors often note that at least parts of the group sessions were structured and that preplanned exercises were utilized. This seemed to be done to insure continuity in open-ended groups, to focus group activity quickly, and to capitalize on previously standardized activities to meet client goals. While the practices described are typically sound, very little research data is given concerning these groups. A few articles do report on research, but one would hope to find it consistently represented in a major handbook. Often, short-term therapy is granted less status by professionals than long-term work. This book helps to correct that view and gives recognition to the work of practitioners who have organized and run shortterm groups because they meet the needs of their clients. Another positive feature of the book is its attention to hard-to-reach clients. Much of the grouptherapy literature is directed at the verbal middleclass client, and it is satisfying to the social worker to discover a book which does not perpetuate this bias. In addition, more than one-third of the articles describe open-ended groups where membership changes periodically. This common practice is seldom highlighted in other group-therapy texts. A Handbook of Short-Term Therapy Groups is a useful addition to the group-therapy literature, particularly in making the reader cognizant of this form of treatment. It does not, however, add to a general conceptualization of short-term focused group work nor does it extend the subject of group therapy in an integrated way. Individual articles give the reader a firm grasp of how short-term group therapy can be successfully implemented for a variety of purposes with many types of clients. In this way, the book contributes to the further development of this critical area of group work practice.

Research paper thumbnail of Group Treatment of Families with Schizophrenic Sons

Social Casework

IN 1962, the Veterans Administration Mental Hygiene Clinic in San Francisco initiated a program o... more IN 1962, the Veterans Administration Mental Hygiene Clinic in San Francisco initiated a program of group treatment as an experimental effort to provide service to families of schizophrenic patients being treated at the clinic. As the group leaders became skilled in using this form of treatment, the Family Group program became a regular part of the clinic program. The group is composed of the patients who attend the Day Treatment Center and their parents. Over the four-year period, sixteen families have participated in the group. The median length of group membership for each family is approximately eight months. This article describes the theoretical base of this treatment approach and some of the techniques used. Practitioners from several disciplines have contributed to the formulations that constitute the theoretfcal base for working with the family group. Social group workers and group therapists have supplied knowledge of group dynamics and of various necessary techniques. In addition, numerous studies of the "schizophrenic family" and various family therapy methods have contributed much of the theoretical framework. In the past decade, there has been an increasing number of studies of family dynamics and an increasing emphasis on the development of family therapy as a technique for working with families in which there is a schizophrenic member. This literature is too profuse to be covered, but since some of these theories are important in understanding the family group, they will be discussed.

Research paper thumbnail of Social workers' involvement in research

Social Work

ABSTRACT Do social workers incorporate into their practice the research they have studied in cour... more ABSTRACT Do social workers incorporate into their practice the research they have studied in course work or in subsequent readings? Do courses in research and statistics make a difference? A survey of NASW members yields some findings that could point the way to improving the quality of services. (Author)

Research paper thumbnail of Are social workers sexists?

Social Work

Joel Fischer, DSW, is Professor, School of Social Work, University of Hawaii, Honolulu. Diane D. ... more Joel Fischer, DSW, is Professor, School of Social Work, University of Hawaii, Honolulu. Diane D. Dulaney, MSW, is Consultant, Arizona Family Planning Council, Phoenix. Rosemary T. Fazio, MSW, is a student, University of Hawaii School of Law, Honolulu. Mary T. Hudak, MSW, is a premedical student, University of Hawaii, Hilo. Ethel Zivotofsky, MSW, is Psychiatric Social Worker, Makiki Mental Health Clinic, Honolulu, Hawaii. During the 1960s and 1970s the nacated in subtle and uncontrollable tion's attention has focused more and ways. If he sees her as a passive and

Research paper thumbnail of Evaluations of Social Work Effectiveness: Is Positive Evidence Always Good Evidence?

Research paper thumbnail of <bold>Helping the Aged: A Field Experiment in Social Work.</bold> By E. Matilda Goldberg with Ann Mortimer and Brian T. Williams. London, England: George Allen & Unwin, 1970. 216 pp. Distributed by NASW. $8.00

Research paper thumbnail of Revolution, Schmevolution: Is Social Work Changing or Not?

Research paper thumbnail of An Effect of Casework? Back to the Drawing Board

Social Work

EJ144418 - An Effect of Casework? Back to the Drawing Board.

Research paper thumbnail of Isn't Casework Effective Yet?

Research paper thumbnail of Single-System Designs

Research paper thumbnail of Behavior modification: changing byperactive behavior in a children's group

Perspect Psychiatr Care, 1975

Research paper thumbnail of Systematic Desensitization: An Effective Technique for Clinical Practice

Research paper thumbnail of The Effects of Prison Residents''Community Contacts on Recidivism Rates

Abstract 1. Tested the hypothesis that men with strong community ties are less likely to return t... more Abstract 1. Tested the hypothesis that men with strong community ties are less likely to return to prison than men with weak ties or none at all. The sample consisted of 124 Ss paroled in 1969 and 1970 from Hawaii State Prison. Contacts with the community were measured by ...

Research paper thumbnail of Comments on Reid and Hanrahan

Research paper thumbnail of Meta-analysis: The Premise, the Problems, the Promise

Toward Evidence-Based Practice

What responsibilities do social workers have when new tools or technologies became available? The... more What responsibilities do social workers have when new tools or technologies became available? The possibilities range from uncritical and total adoption of the new technology, to uncritical and total rejection of the new technology. Somewhere in between lies the critical evaluation and assessment of the potentialities of the new technology, and adoption or adaptation of those components that both can withstand careful scrutiny and appear to offer benefits for some aspects of the social work enterprise. With the fairly recent advent of the methods of meta-analysis, social work has the perfect opportunity to engage in this process of careful and critical evaluation of a new technology that may have important implications for the field.

Research paper thumbnail of The relationship between personal value orientations, client diagnostic variables, and casework treatment decisions

Research paper thumbnail of The effectiveness of social casework

An academic directory and search engine.

Research paper thumbnail of Evaluating Practice: Guidelines for the Accountable Professional

Preface Prologue Part I What Are You Getting Into? 1 Integrating Evaluation and Practice Introduc... more Preface Prologue Part I What Are You Getting Into? 1 Integrating Evaluation and Practice Introduction to Single-System Designs What Are Single-System Designs? Evidence-Based Practice Single-System Designs and Classical Research: The Knowledge-Building Context Single-System Evaluation, Qualitative Research, and Quantitative Research Advantages of Using Single-System Designs in Practice A Walk through the Evaluation Process Summary Part II Conceptualizing and Measuring Targets and Objectives/Goals 2 Basic Principles of Conceptualization and Measurement Introduction What Is Conceptualization? What Is Measurement? Definition as a First Step in Measurement Can Everything Be Measured? Key Characteristics of All Measures Summary 3 Specifying Problems and Goals Introduction: From General Problems to Specific Targets of Intervention Specifying Client Concerns: Identifying and Clarifying Problems and Potentials Specifying Goals and Objectives Using Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS) to Establish G...

Research paper thumbnail of Why I love social work

Journal of Evidence-Informed Social Work

Research paper thumbnail of Statistical Training for Social Workers

Journal of Social Work Education

EJ370668 - Statistical Training for Social Workers.

Research paper thumbnail of Book Review: Cognitive Processes and Emotional Disorders: A Structural Approach to Psychotherapy

Social Casework

well chosen. The articles, for the most part, are well written, conceptually as well as practical... more well chosen. The articles, for the most part, are well written, conceptually as well as practically focused, and enlivened by case examples of group interactions and activities. Details are provided about promising techniques and difficulties encountered so that practitioners who wish to establish similar groups can find guidelines for their work and avoid mistakes. The groups portrayed illustrate the creative and facilitative way in which group workers can approach client needs. The editor states in the preface that group psychotherapy is carried out via many different approaches. Among those represented in the shortterm groups reported on here are the psychoanalytic, behavioral, consciousness-raising, activity group, and existential ones. No matter which model was used, the authors often note that at least parts of the group sessions were structured and that preplanned exercises were utilized. This seemed to be done to insure continuity in open-ended groups, to focus group activity quickly, and to capitalize on previously standardized activities to meet client goals. While the practices described are typically sound, very little research data is given concerning these groups. A few articles do report on research, but one would hope to find it consistently represented in a major handbook. Often, short-term therapy is granted less status by professionals than long-term work. This book helps to correct that view and gives recognition to the work of practitioners who have organized and run shortterm groups because they meet the needs of their clients. Another positive feature of the book is its attention to hard-to-reach clients. Much of the grouptherapy literature is directed at the verbal middleclass client, and it is satisfying to the social worker to discover a book which does not perpetuate this bias. In addition, more than one-third of the articles describe open-ended groups where membership changes periodically. This common practice is seldom highlighted in other group-therapy texts. A Handbook of Short-Term Therapy Groups is a useful addition to the group-therapy literature, particularly in making the reader cognizant of this form of treatment. It does not, however, add to a general conceptualization of short-term focused group work nor does it extend the subject of group therapy in an integrated way. Individual articles give the reader a firm grasp of how short-term group therapy can be successfully implemented for a variety of purposes with many types of clients. In this way, the book contributes to the further development of this critical area of group work practice.

Research paper thumbnail of Group Treatment of Families with Schizophrenic Sons

Social Casework

IN 1962, the Veterans Administration Mental Hygiene Clinic in San Francisco initiated a program o... more IN 1962, the Veterans Administration Mental Hygiene Clinic in San Francisco initiated a program of group treatment as an experimental effort to provide service to families of schizophrenic patients being treated at the clinic. As the group leaders became skilled in using this form of treatment, the Family Group program became a regular part of the clinic program. The group is composed of the patients who attend the Day Treatment Center and their parents. Over the four-year period, sixteen families have participated in the group. The median length of group membership for each family is approximately eight months. This article describes the theoretical base of this treatment approach and some of the techniques used. Practitioners from several disciplines have contributed to the formulations that constitute the theoretfcal base for working with the family group. Social group workers and group therapists have supplied knowledge of group dynamics and of various necessary techniques. In addition, numerous studies of the "schizophrenic family" and various family therapy methods have contributed much of the theoretical framework. In the past decade, there has been an increasing number of studies of family dynamics and an increasing emphasis on the development of family therapy as a technique for working with families in which there is a schizophrenic member. This literature is too profuse to be covered, but since some of these theories are important in understanding the family group, they will be discussed.

Research paper thumbnail of Social workers' involvement in research

Social Work

ABSTRACT Do social workers incorporate into their practice the research they have studied in cour... more ABSTRACT Do social workers incorporate into their practice the research they have studied in course work or in subsequent readings? Do courses in research and statistics make a difference? A survey of NASW members yields some findings that could point the way to improving the quality of services. (Author)

Research paper thumbnail of Are social workers sexists?

Social Work

Joel Fischer, DSW, is Professor, School of Social Work, University of Hawaii, Honolulu. Diane D. ... more Joel Fischer, DSW, is Professor, School of Social Work, University of Hawaii, Honolulu. Diane D. Dulaney, MSW, is Consultant, Arizona Family Planning Council, Phoenix. Rosemary T. Fazio, MSW, is a student, University of Hawaii School of Law, Honolulu. Mary T. Hudak, MSW, is a premedical student, University of Hawaii, Hilo. Ethel Zivotofsky, MSW, is Psychiatric Social Worker, Makiki Mental Health Clinic, Honolulu, Hawaii. During the 1960s and 1970s the nacated in subtle and uncontrollable tion's attention has focused more and ways. If he sees her as a passive and

Research paper thumbnail of Evaluations of Social Work Effectiveness: Is Positive Evidence Always Good Evidence?

Research paper thumbnail of <bold>Helping the Aged: A Field Experiment in Social Work.</bold> By E. Matilda Goldberg with Ann Mortimer and Brian T. Williams. London, England: George Allen & Unwin, 1970. 216 pp. Distributed by NASW. $8.00

Research paper thumbnail of Revolution, Schmevolution: Is Social Work Changing or Not?

Research paper thumbnail of An Effect of Casework? Back to the Drawing Board

Social Work

EJ144418 - An Effect of Casework? Back to the Drawing Board.

Research paper thumbnail of Isn't Casework Effective Yet?

Research paper thumbnail of Single-System Designs

Research paper thumbnail of Behavior modification: changing byperactive behavior in a children's group

Perspect Psychiatr Care, 1975

Research paper thumbnail of Systematic Desensitization: An Effective Technique for Clinical Practice

Research paper thumbnail of The Effects of Prison Residents''Community Contacts on Recidivism Rates

Abstract 1. Tested the hypothesis that men with strong community ties are less likely to return t... more Abstract 1. Tested the hypothesis that men with strong community ties are less likely to return to prison than men with weak ties or none at all. The sample consisted of 124 Ss paroled in 1969 and 1970 from Hawaii State Prison. Contacts with the community were measured by ...

Research paper thumbnail of Comments on Reid and Hanrahan