Daniel G. Saunders

Professor Emeritus of Social Work

Daniel Saunders, professor of social work, established one of the first intervention programs for men who batter and helped to establish crisis and advocacy programs for battered women in the 1970s. His research, teaching, and service center on the problems of dating and domestic violence. His specific studies focus on offender program evaluation, the traumatic effects of victimization, and the response of professionals and the public to dating and domestic violence. His research has been funded by the Centers for Disease Control, the National Institute of Mental Health, and the National Institute of Justice. In addition, he was awarded a Fulbright Scholars grant to conduct research at the Te Awatea Violence Research Centre, University of Canterbury, New Zealand. Professor Saunders' most recent projects involve an evaluation of supervised visitation programs for the children of battered women and a survey of child custody evaluators regarding their beliefs about domestic violence. Based on his publication record, a 2019 report listed him in the top 100 most influential contemporary social work faculty. In 2024, the analytics company Elsevier listed him among the world's top 2% of scientists.

Research Interests

Domestic and dating violence, direct practice, program evaluation.

Curriculum Vitae

Contact Information

  • [email protected]

  • 4668 SSWB
    University of Michigan
    School of Social Work
    1080 S. University
    Ann Arbor, MI 48109

Education

  • 1979 PhD Counseling and Guidance
    University of Wisconsin, Madison
  • 1973 MSW Social Work
    University of Wisconsin, Madison
  • 1969 BA Psychology
    St. John's University, Collegeville, MN

News

Activities

Publications

Saunders,D., Jiwatram-Negron, T., Nanasi, N., & Cardenas, I. (2022). Patriarchy’s link to intimate partner violence: Applications to survivors’ asylum claims. Violence Against Women, 0(0).
Prost, S. G., Saunders, D. G., & Oehme, K. (2020). Childhood family violence and officer responses to officer-involved domestic violence: Effects of cumulative and resolved trauma. International Journal of Police Science and Management, 22(2), 194-207.
Saunders, D. (2020). Barriers to leaving an abusive relationship. In R. Geffner, V. Vieth, V. Vaughan-Eden, A. Rosenbaum, L. Hamberger, & J. White (Eds.), Handbook of Interpersonal Violence Across the Lifespan. Springer, Cham.
Jirek, S. L., & Saunders, D. G. (2018). Cumulative adversity as a correlate of posttraumatic growth: The effects of multiple traumas, discrimination, and sexual harassment. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment, and Trauma.
Khaw, L., Bermea, A. M., Hardesty, J. L., Whittaker, A. M., & Saunders, D. G. (2018). “The system had choked me too": Abused mothers' perceptions of the custody determination process that resulted in negative custody outcomes. Journal of Interpersonal Violence.
Saunders, D. G. (2017). Group interventions for partner abuse. In Garvin, C. D., Gutiérrez, L. M., & Galinsky, M. J. (Eds.), Handbook of Social Work with Groups (2nd ed.). 344-359. Guilford Press.
Saunders, D. G. (2017). Evaluating the evaluators: Research-based guidance for attorneys regarding custody evaluations in cases involving domestic abuse. Michigan Family Law Journal, 47, 8-14.
Saunders, D. G. (2017). State laws related to family judges' and custody evaluators' recommendations in cases of intimate partner violence: Final summary overview. Final report to the National Institute of Justice, U.S. Department of Justice. Office of Justice Programs. National Criminal Justice Reference Service No. 250667.
Saunders, D. G. (2016). Self defense and violence against women in the United States. In N. Naples (Ed.). The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Gender and Sexuality Studies. State University of New York Press.
Oehme, K., Prost, S. G., & Saunders, D. G. (2016). Police responses to cases of officer-involved domestic violence: The effects of a brief web-based training. Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice.

Honors and Awards

Year Description
2014 Fulbright Scholar, Te Awatea Violence Research Centre, University of Canterbury, New Zealand. Funded by the U.S. Department of State.
1986-1987 Senior Research Associate, "Sexual Aggression and the Media," Funded by NIMH, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Department of Psychology, Edward Donnerstein, Principal Investigator
1984-1986 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
1982-1990 Preceptor, School of Social Work, University of Wisconsin-Madison, WI
1982-1983 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Family Violence Research Program, University of New Hampshire

Presentations

Year Description
2016 Ermoshkina, P., Bermea, A., Whittaker, A., Khaw, L., Hardesty, J. & Saunders, D.G. (2016, November). Experiences of Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence in Family Courts. Annual meeting of the National Council on Family Relation.
2016 Saunders, D. G. (2016, April). Indigenous and political influences on intimate partner violence policies and prevention work in Aotearoa (New Zealand): Highlights of a Fullbright Scholar's Research. Office of Global Activities, University of Michigan School of Social Work, Ann Arbor, MI.
2015 Saunders, D. G. (2015, May). Intimate partner violence: How to find out what's going on by assessing motives, impacts, danger levels, and violence typologies. Te Awatea Violence Research Centre Seminar Series.
2015 Saunders, D. G. (2015, October). The global movement to end domestic abuse, Winchester Academy,
Waupaca, WI.
2015 Saunders, D.G. (2015, April). Child custody evaluations and domestic violence: New research and implications for practice. Australian Institute of Family Studies, Melbourne, Australia.

Courses

Past Courses

Title Instructor Term Course Section Meeting Start Meeting End
Family Violence Prevention and Intervention Saunders, Daniel G. Fall 2016 001 06:00 pm 09:00 pm View Course
Interpersonal Practice with Adult Individuals Saunders, Daniel G. Winter 2016 001 09:00 am 12:00 pm View Course
Interpersonal Practice with Families Saunders, Daniel G. Fall 2015 004 02:00 pm 05:00 pm View Course
Interpersonal Practice with Adult Individuals Saunders, Daniel G. Fall 2015 002 05:00 pm 08:00 pm View Course
Interpersonal Practice with Families Saunders, Daniel G. Fall 2014 004 02:00 pm 05:00 pm View Course
Interpersonal Practice with Adult Individuals Saunders, Daniel G. Fall 2014 002 05:00 pm 08:00 pm View Course
Interpersonal Practice with Adult Individuals Saunders, Daniel G. Winter 2014 003 02:00 pm 05:00 pm View Course
Family Violence Prevention and Intervention Saunders, Daniel G. Winter 2014 001 06:00 pm 09:00 pm View Course
Interpersonal Practice with Families Saunders, Daniel G. Fall 2013 004 02:00 pm 05:00 pm View Course
Interpersonal Practice with Adult Individuals Saunders, Daniel G. Fall 2013 002 05:00 pm 08:00 pm View Course