Michael Wolf-Branigin
Biographic Data
| ID | 936374 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Michael Wolf-Branigin |
| GIVEN NAMES | Michael |
| FAMILY NAME | Wolf-Branigin |
| SIGNATURE | WOLF-BRANIGIN M |
| AFFILIATIONS | George Mason University |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-0556-1619 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 15 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 15 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 15 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2006 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
Exploring Accumulative Risk and Protective Factors for Young People: An Agent-Based Model
Purpose: Agent-based modeling (ABM) is used to explore the impacts of a professional's decision-making on young people in their social lives. Methods: In this model, young people are presented with opportunities to engage in prosocial and antisocial activities. In these processes, authority figures act as a deterrent, actively reduce the risk of recidivism, or actively reduce risk and encourage prosocial development. Results: We assess the outcom…
Applying Complex Adaptive Systems to Build Interdisciplinary Collaborations and Aid in Understanding Complicated Social Phenomena
The Grand Challenges for Social Work were introduced by the American Academy for Social Work & Social Welfare in 2016, which are social problems that are interrelated and “exceedingly complex”. We discuss the relevance of complexity theory, operationalized by complex adaptive systems (CAS), to the Grand Challenges. CAS moves beyond current ecological systems approaches and is more appropriate for studying nonlinear, dynamic phenomena such as the …
Generating inclusive services for children, youth and families: A shift to using complex systems theory
Service systems for children and families have been shaped by standard approaches to knowledge‐building, which reflect a reductionist approach and assume linearity and/or that individuals and experiences are normally distributed. Yet, these approaches may be inadequate for clients most at‐risk, especially those who would be analytic ‘outliers’. A complexity lens focuses on the whole system and seeks to identify patterns, including the dynamic int…
Identifying songs of social justice and protest for social work education
Educators of social justice continually seek new tools to encourage learning. Music recordings and their lyrics provide an innovative means for learning about the emergence of social concerns and encourage social action. Using a complex systems perspective to facilitate a bottoms-up approach, we applied an exploratory study by using commercial off-the-shelf music player software to identify relevant songs that encourage the learning of human cond…
Innovations in Modeling Social Good: A Demonstration With Juvenile Justice Intervention
Objectives: Using agent-based modeling (ABM) within a complexity theory framework provides an alternative and promising method for significantly advancing the study of social good. Complexity theory is a systems approach based on the idea that aggregate patterns arise from the interactions of agents and their environments. Such systems operate according to a set of simple rules, and patterns emerge from these simple interactions that sometimes ca…
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Information Dissemination by Health Care Professions
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is the leading preventable intellectual and developmental disability. There is no safe level of alcohol consumption at any point during pregnancy. Findings of this study indicate that the information disseminated by health care professionals is not always in keeping with this understanding. Physicians and midwives appeared to be the least consistent in advocating to women that they abstain from alcohol consu…
Introduction to the Mini Special Issue on Complexity Theory: A New Research Paradigm in Social Work
For decades, social service researchers and evaluators sought a research paradigm that applied underlying principles of change arising from the grassroots, the strength and value of relationships
Nonlinearity in Social Service Evaluation: A Primer on Agent-based Modeling
Measurement of nonlinearity in social service research and evaluation relies primarily on spatial analysis and, to a lesser extent, social network analysis. Recent advances in geographic methods and computing power, however, allow for the greater use of simulation methods. These advances now enable evaluators and researchers to simulate complex adaptive systems (CASs) by applying agent-based modeling (ABM). CASs reflect the interactions of compet…
The Emergence of Formalized Salvation Army Addictions Treatment
Beginning in Detroit in 1939, The Salvation Army developed a network of substance abuse treatment facilities throughout the United States and Canada. These facilities, known as Harbor Lights, used charitable and private funding to serve a predominately White alcohol abusing population. Beginning in the 1960s, these facilities relied increasingly on governmental sources to treat a more diverse, and multi‐substance‐abusing population. Using documen…
Substance Abuse Treatment Outcomes: A Comparison of Medicaid- and Non-Medicaid-Funded Adolescents
The state of Missouri provides detoxification, residential and outpatient services to substance abusing adolescents through its Comprehensive Substance Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation (CSTAR) program. This analysis compares Medicaid-funded and non-Medicaid-funded youth in CSTAR at treatment admission, during treatment, and at treatment discharge. Medicaid-funded youth demonstrated a higher risk at pretreatment for substance use and delinquency…
Preparing for the Emerging Issue of Human Trafficking
The United Nations defines human trafficking as “the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons by means of threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person for the purpose of exploitation” (United Nati…
Spiritual Involvement as a Predictor to Completing a Salvation Army Substance Abuse Treatment Program
This study investigates successful completion at a faith-based organization providing residential substance abuse treatment services. Method: The authors apply a complex systems paradigm using a single moderator variable. The participants are primarily African Americans and most have current criminal justice involvement. Probabilities of treatment program completion for participants active in spiritual activities versus similar participants not i…
Improving Quality of Life and Career Attitudes of Youth With Disabilities: Experiences From the Adolescent Employment Readiness Center
Improving quality of life is the primary focus as adolescents with disabilities enter adulthood. They increasingly, however, encounter difficulties transitioning into domains such as employment as these services occur near the end of their high school experience. Using an ecosystems model within a developmental approach, the program sought to improve the likelihood that adolescents will find and maintain meaningful employment as adults. The autho…
Effects of Substance Abuse Central Intake on Treatment and Justice Costs
The cost-benefits of a central intake intervention for substance abuse treatment referrals were demonstrated using a transaction cost analysis on two cohorts of participants during the three-year initiative. Costs for clients receiving central intake services were compared with those just prior to the intervention's implementation. In order to study the relationship between substance abuse treatment costs and avoided criminal justice costs, data …
Self-Organization in Housing Choices of Persons with Disabilities
Complexity theory provides a promising exploratory framework for demonstrating quantifiable improvements of disability interventions. This paper introduces concepts of complex systems theory and applies one particular underlying concept, self-organizing, to a program providing housing and other support services to persons with disabilities. Using this specific component of complexity theory provides a beginning point to explore how consumers and …
Self-Organization in Housing Choices of Persons with Disabilities
Complexity theory provides a promising exploratory framework for demonstrating quantifiable improvements of disability interventions. This paper introduces concepts of complex systems theory and applies one particular underlying concept, self-organizing, to a program providing housing and other support services to persons with disabilities. Using this specific component of complexity theory provides a beginning point to explore how consumers and …
Nonlinearity in Social Service Evaluation: A Primer on Agent-based Modeling
Measurement of nonlinearity in social service research and evaluation relies primarily on spatial analysis and, to a lesser extent, social network analysis. Recent advances in geographic methods and computing power, however, allow for the greater use of simulation methods. These advances now enable evaluators and researchers to simulate complex adaptive systems (CASs) by applying agent-based modeling (ABM). CASs reflect the interactions of compet…
Generating inclusive services for children, youth and families: A shift to using complex systems theory
Service systems for children and families have been shaped by standard approaches to knowledge‐building, which reflect a reductionist approach and assume linearity and/or that individuals and experiences are normally distributed. Yet, these approaches may be inadequate for clients most at‐risk, especially those who would be analytic ‘outliers’. A complexity lens focuses on the whole system and seeks to identify patterns, including the dynamic int…
Innovations in Modeling Social Good: A Demonstration With Juvenile Justice Intervention
Objectives: Using agent-based modeling (ABM) within a complexity theory framework provides an alternative and promising method for significantly advancing the study of social good. Complexity theory is a systems approach based on the idea that aggregate patterns arise from the interactions of agents and their environments. Such systems operate according to a set of simple rules, and patterns emerge from these simple interactions that sometimes ca…
Spiritual Involvement as a Predictor to Completing a Salvation Army Substance Abuse Treatment Program
This study investigates successful completion at a faith-based organization providing residential substance abuse treatment services. Method: The authors apply a complex systems paradigm using a single moderator variable. The participants are primarily African Americans and most have current criminal justice involvement. Probabilities of treatment program completion for participants active in spiritual activities versus similar participants not i…
Improving Quality of Life and Career Attitudes of Youth With Disabilities: Experiences From the Adolescent Employment Readiness Center
Improving quality of life is the primary focus as adolescents with disabilities enter adulthood. They increasingly, however, encounter difficulties transitioning into domains such as employment as these services occur near the end of their high school experience. Using an ecosystems model within a developmental approach, the program sought to improve the likelihood that adolescents will find and maintain meaningful employment as adults. The autho…
Effects of Substance Abuse Central Intake on Treatment and Justice Costs
The cost-benefits of a central intake intervention for substance abuse treatment referrals were demonstrated using a transaction cost analysis on two cohorts of participants during the three-year initiative. Costs for clients receiving central intake services were compared with those just prior to the intervention's implementation. In order to study the relationship between substance abuse treatment costs and avoided criminal justice costs, data …
Self-Organization in Housing Choices of Persons with Disabilities
Complexity theory provides a promising exploratory framework for demonstrating quantifiable improvements of disability interventions. This paper introduces concepts of complex systems theory and applies one particular underlying concept, self-organizing, to a program providing housing and other support services to persons with disabilities. Using this specific component of complexity theory provides a beginning point to explore how consumers and …
Spiritual Involvement as a Predictor to Completing a Salvation Army Substance Abuse Treatment Program
This study investigates successful completion at a faith-based organization providing residential substance abuse treatment services. Method: The authors apply a complex systems paradigm using a single moderator variable. The participants are primarily African Americans and most have current criminal justice involvement. Probabilities of treatment program completion for participants active in spiritual activities versus similar participants not i…
Improving Quality of Life and Career Attitudes of Youth With Disabilities: Experiences From the Adolescent Employment Readiness Center
Improving quality of life is the primary focus as adolescents with disabilities enter adulthood. They increasingly, however, encounter difficulties transitioning into domains such as employment as these services occur near the end of their high school experience. Using an ecosystems model within a developmental approach, the program sought to improve the likelihood that adolescents will find and maintain meaningful employment as adults. The autho…
Substance Abuse Treatment Outcomes: A Comparison of Medicaid- and Non-Medicaid-Funded Adolescents
The state of Missouri provides detoxification, residential and outpatient services to substance abusing adolescents through its Comprehensive Substance Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation (CSTAR) program. This analysis compares Medicaid-funded and non-Medicaid-funded youth in CSTAR at treatment admission, during treatment, and at treatment discharge. Medicaid-funded youth demonstrated a higher risk at pretreatment for substance use and delinquency…
Preparing for the Emerging Issue of Human Trafficking
The United Nations defines human trafficking as “the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons by means of threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person for the purpose of exploitation” (United Nati…
The Emergence of Formalized Salvation Army Addictions Treatment
Beginning in Detroit in 1939, The Salvation Army developed a network of substance abuse treatment facilities throughout the United States and Canada. These facilities, known as Harbor Lights, used charitable and private funding to serve a predominately White alcohol abusing population. Beginning in the 1960s, these facilities relied increasingly on governmental sources to treat a more diverse, and multi‐substance‐abusing population. Using documen…
Nonlinearity in Social Service Evaluation: A Primer on Agent-based Modeling
Measurement of nonlinearity in social service research and evaluation relies primarily on spatial analysis and, to a lesser extent, social network analysis. Recent advances in geographic methods and computing power, however, allow for the greater use of simulation methods. These advances now enable evaluators and researchers to simulate complex adaptive systems (CASs) by applying agent-based modeling (ABM). CASs reflect the interactions of compet…
Introduction to the Mini Special Issue on Complexity Theory: A New Research Paradigm in Social Work
For decades, social service researchers and evaluators sought a research paradigm that applied underlying principles of change arising from the grassroots, the strength and value of relationships
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Information Dissemination by Health Care Professions
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is the leading preventable intellectual and developmental disability. There is no safe level of alcohol consumption at any point during pregnancy. Findings of this study indicate that the information disseminated by health care professionals is not always in keeping with this understanding. Physicians and midwives appeared to be the least consistent in advocating to women that they abstain from alcohol consu…
Innovations in Modeling Social Good: A Demonstration With Juvenile Justice Intervention
Objectives: Using agent-based modeling (ABM) within a complexity theory framework provides an alternative and promising method for significantly advancing the study of social good. Complexity theory is a systems approach based on the idea that aggregate patterns arise from the interactions of agents and their environments. Such systems operate according to a set of simple rules, and patterns emerge from these simple interactions that sometimes ca…
Identifying songs of social justice and protest for social work education
Educators of social justice continually seek new tools to encourage learning. Music recordings and their lyrics provide an innovative means for learning about the emergence of social concerns and encourage social action. Using a complex systems perspective to facilitate a bottoms-up approach, we applied an exploratory study by using commercial off-the-shelf music player software to identify relevant songs that encourage the learning of human cond…
Applying Complex Adaptive Systems to Build Interdisciplinary Collaborations and Aid in Understanding Complicated Social Phenomena
The Grand Challenges for Social Work were introduced by the American Academy for Social Work & Social Welfare in 2016, which are social problems that are interrelated and “exceedingly complex”. We discuss the relevance of complexity theory, operationalized by complex adaptive systems (CAS), to the Grand Challenges. CAS moves beyond current ecological systems approaches and is more appropriate for studying nonlinear, dynamic phenomena such as the …
Generating inclusive services for children, youth and families: A shift to using complex systems theory
Service systems for children and families have been shaped by standard approaches to knowledge‐building, which reflect a reductionist approach and assume linearity and/or that individuals and experiences are normally distributed. Yet, these approaches may be inadequate for clients most at‐risk, especially those who would be analytic ‘outliers’. A complexity lens focuses on the whole system and seeks to identify patterns, including the dynamic int…
Exploring Accumulative Risk and Protective Factors for Young People: An Agent-Based Model
Purpose: Agent-based modeling (ABM) is used to explore the impacts of a professional's decision-making on young people in their social lives. Methods: In this model, young people are presented with opportunities to engage in prosocial and antisocial activities. In these processes, authority figures act as a deterrent, actively reduce the risk of recidivism, or actively reduce risk and encourage prosocial development. Results: We assess the outcom…
Psychology (12 works) · Medicine (8 works) · Homelessness and Social Issues (7 works) · Political science (7 works) · Computer Science (6 works) · Psychiatry (6 works) · Sociology (6 works) · Management science (5 works) · Criminology (4 works) · Substance abuse (4 works)