Values: A Core Guiding Principle for Behavior-Analytic Intervention and Research
Put client and family values on paper first, then build every goal and reinforcement plan around them.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Paliliunas (2022) wrote a think-piece, not an experiment. The paper says values should sit at the center of every ABA plan. It pulls from ACT and ethics texts to show how values can boost reinforcement for real-life change. No new data were collected.
What they found
The author argues that when you link goals to what the client, parent, or teacher truly cares about, treatment sticks better. Values act like extra fuel for reinforcement. The idea is conceptual, but it lines up with small studies in acceptance-based work.
How this fits with other research
Vollmer et al. (2025) extend the same line: they turn values into a daily social-validity check that never ends. Taylor et al. (2023) give you a workflow—write risks to quality of life on the front page of the FBA to keep values in view. Allen et al. (2024) narrow the lens to Autistic clients and spell out value signs such as identity-first language and ongoing assent. All three papers take the big values idea and give you concrete moves, so no contradiction—just tighter tools.
Why it matters
If you start each case by asking, “What really matters to this family?” you stop chasing generic reduction in problem behavior and start building the life they want. Tape a values list inside the front cover of the binder. Review it at every team meeting. This one step can lift social validity, keep caregivers engaged, and make your treatment recommendations feel humane instead of mechanical.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Values represent qualities or beliefs that are of high priority to individuals or society and represent one of the core processes within acceptance and commitment therapy or training (ACT or ACTr). The current article discusses values and valuing not only as a centralized process in ACT but also as a core process guiding the field of applied behavior analysis with applications that extend across several intervention domains. A relational frame theory model of values as hierarchical frames that augment reinforcing functions that can influence socially meaningful behavior change is reviewed. This basic model is then extended to encompass temporal, deictic, and causal frames. Values-based intervention research is emerging in areas such as guided decision making, professional development, organizational behavior management, parent training, and treatment plans for children and adults. Although this research is promising, more work is needed to further explore the role of values and valuing within ACT, and when they are used within other intervention strategies. Several potential avenues for future research that may aid in the development of values-based intervention by behavior analysts and extend the scope of our field and practice are discussed.
Behavior Analysis in Practice, 2022 · doi:10.1007/s40617-021-00595-3