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Michelle Sondra Ballan



Assistant Professor of
Social Work


B.A., M.S.W. Rutgers;
Ph.D., Texas (Austin)


E-mail: [email protected]
Telephone: (212) 851-2221
Office: Room 730

Faculty Index


Bio:

Dr. Ballan’s research, teaching and service is dedicated to individuals with disabilities. Her research focuses on prevention and treatment interventions for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.  She is the recipient of the prestigious 2010 Columbia University Presidential Teaching Award.  She has received the Texas Excellence Teaching Award, the Services for Students with Disabilities Faculty Award and twice, Columbia students bestowed her with the excellence in teaching award. Dr. Ballan is a mentor for international human rights disability advocates affiliated with the Institute for the Study of Human Rights.  She convenes the Columbia University Seminar on Disability Studies and is the Faculty Advisor for the Disability Caucus. 

Dr. Ballan is the recipient of the 2010 Association on Higher Education and Disability Recognition Award for her outstanding contributions to campus programs for students with disabilities.  She is the 2011 recipient of the Early Career Award from the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.  Dr. Ballan serves on the editorial board of Social Work and is an ad-hoc reviewer for journals in the fields of disability studies and sexuality. She is a board member for Services for the Underserved and has held positions on the Council on Disability and Persons with Disabilities through the Council of Social Work Education.  Dr. Ballan has worked as a practitioner and educator in various community settings with individuals with disabilities including the New Jersey Brain Injury Association, Women Helping Women, Safeplace and schools.


Research Interests:

  • Sexuality and autism
  • Evidence-informed clinical interventions for individuals with disabilities
  • Interpersonal violence and disability
  • Grief and loss among individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities
  • Bioethics and disability
  • Merger of social work education and disability studies
  • Sexual counseling for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities
  • International social work and the Convention on Rights for Persons with Disabilities


Current Projects:

  • Complex Regional Pain Syndrome and sexuality funded by the Institute for BioTechnology Futures

  • Retrospective case study on interpersonal violence and disability


Selected Publications:

Journal Articles
Ballan, M. (in press). Parental perspectives of communication about sexuality in families of children with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.

Wilkenfeld, B. & Ballan, M. (in press). Educators’ attitudes and beliefs towards the sexuality of individuals with developmental disabilities. Sexuality and Disability.

Ballan, M. & Freyer, M. B. (in press). Self defense among women with disabilities: An unexplored domain in domestic violence cases. Violence Against Women.

Ballan, M., Romanelli, M., & Harper, J. N. (in press). The social model: A lens for counseling transgender clients with disabilities. Journal of Gay and Lesbian Mental Health.

Sormanti, M., & Ballan, M. (2011). Strengthening grief support for children with developmental disabilities. School Psychology International, 32(2), 179-193.

Guilamo-Ramos, V., Bouris, A., Jaccard, J., Lesesne, C., & Ballan, M. (2009). Familial and cultural influences on sexual risk behaviors among Mexican, Puerto Rican, and Dominican youth. AIDS Education and Prevention, 21(Sup. B), 61–79.

Book Chapters
Shlonsky, A. & Ballan, M. (in press). Evidence-informed practice in child protection. In K. Dill, W. Shera & I. Manion (Eds.), Implementing evidence-informed practice: International perspectives.  Toronto, Canada: Canadian Scholars' Press.

Ballan, M., Franklin, C., & Gilbert, D. Qualitative assessment methods. (2011). In C. Jordan & C. Franklin (Eds.), Clinical assessment methods for social workers: Quantitative and qualitative methods (3rd ed., pp. 125-162). Chicago, IL: Lyceum.

Franklin, C., Cody, T., & Ballan, M. (2009). Validity and reliability of qualitative research. In B. Thyer (Ed.), Handbook of social work research methods (2nd ed., pp. 355-374). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.


Last updated May 31, 2011.

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