Ensuring that All that Glistens is Gold: ACTing with Integrity
Slide ACT lessons into supervision now so your staff turn theory into gold.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Rehfeldt et al. (2025) wrote a position paper.
They say BCBA programs should add ACT modules to supervision courses.
The goal is to train staff with integrity so clients get real ACT, not glitter.
What they found
The paper does not test new data.
It maps where ACT lessons can fit inside current graduate courses.
It lists skills a supervisor needs to watch for during ACT sessions.
How this fits with other research
Denegri et al. (2025) give a live example.
They mixed ACT with BST and got RBTs to master pairing skills.
Their data back up the call for ACT in supervision.
Hopkins et al. (2023) show a short ACT workshop lifts teacher well-being.
This proves brief modules can work, just like the paper wants.
Pastrana et al. (2018) listed the old core readings.
None were ACT, so the new paper asks programs to update the list.
Why it matters
If you train RBTs or supervise students, you now have a roadmap.
Add one ACT lesson to your next supervision meeting.
Use the skills checklist from the paper to give feedback.
Your staff will learn to stay present, accept tough moments, and keep clients moving.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Tarbox, Szabo, and Aclan (Behavior Analysis in Practice, 1-22, 2020) provide a compelling rationale for the inclusion of Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACTraining) within the scope of behavior analytic practice to address experiential avoidance in clients and parents. We agree with the main tenets of the authors’ argument, and suggest that ACTraining may be particularly beneficial if applied with frontline staff in behavior analytic service settings. We provide a brief overview on the precedent for ACT in the workplace, but conclude by underscoring the need for considerable curricular development in graduate training programs so that behavior analysts can implement ACT with integrity.
Behavior Analysis in Practice, 2025 · doi:10.1007/s40617-022-00706-8