This comparison draws in part from “Making a Way Out of No Way: A life of Resistance for a Purpose Centered Career” by Gwendolyn Cartledge (BehaviorLive), and extends it with peer-reviewed research from our library of 27,900+ ABA research articles. The decision framework, BACB ethics code references, and cross-links below are synthesized by Behaviorist Book Club.
View the original presentation →One of the most consequential decisions a behavior analyst makes is not just what intervention to use, but how to approach the clinical question in the first place. For making a way out of no way: a life of resistance for a purpose centered career, the difference between an evidence-based, individualized approach and a traditional, protocol-driven one can significantly impact outcomes.
This guide lays out the key factors side by side to support your clinical decision-making.
| Factor | Evidence-Based Approach | Traditional Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Decision Driver | Avoidance-Driven: Decisions made primarily to reduce discomfort, avoid conflict, or minimize effortful action | Values-Driven: Decisions made primarily by explicit contact with professional values and their implications for action |
| Response to Barriers | Avoidance-Driven: Barriers produce withdrawal, accommodation, or compliance without advocacy | Values-Driven: Barriers are met with self-advocacy, self-assertion, and creative problem-solving guided by values |
| Career Trajectory | Avoidance-Driven: Tends toward roles and settings that minimize demand, challenge, and interpersonal difficulty | Values-Driven: Tends toward roles and settings that offer meaningful contribution aligned with professional values, regardless of difficulty |
| Burnout Pattern | Avoidance-Driven: High burnout risk from accumulated avoidance costs and progressive disconnection from professional meaning | Values-Driven: Lower burnout risk due to sustained contact with professional meaning; challenges are experienced as meaningful rather than merely costly |
| Relationships with Clients | Avoidance-Driven: Relationships shaped by management of practitioner discomfort; less fully present in difficult moments | Values-Driven: Genuine presence in difficult moments because difficult private events do not drive avoidance |
| Psychological Resource | Avoidance-Driven: Requires constant expenditure of cognitive and emotional resources on avoidance management | Values-Driven: Resources directed toward values-consistent action rather than avoidance; more sustainable over time |
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ on-demand CEUs including ethics, supervision, and clinical topics like this one. Plus a new live CEU every Wednesday.
Use this framework when approaching making a way out of no way: a life of resistance for a purpose centered career in your practice:
Does the data support a need for intervention? Is there a meaningful impact on the individual's quality of life, safety, or access to reinforcement?
YES → Proceed to assessment NO → Document reasoning, monitor
A functional assessment should guide intervention selection. Avoid defaulting to standard protocols without individual analysis. Consider environmental variables, setting events, and private events.
YES → Select evidence-based approach matched to function NO → Complete assessment first
Goals should be co-developed. Assent and informed consent are ethical requirements. The individual's preferences and values matter in selecting both goals and methods.
YES → Proceed with collaborative plan NO → Engage in shared decision-making
This course covers the clinical and ethical dimensions in detail with structured learning objectives and CEU credit.
Making a Way Out of No Way: A life of Resistance for a Purpose Centered Career — Gwendolyn Cartledge · 1 BACB Supervision CEUs · $29.99
Take This Course →We extended this decision guide with research from our library — dig into the peer-reviewed studies behind each approach, in plain-English summaries written for BCBAs.
279 research articles with practitioner takeaways
233 research articles with practitioner takeaways
188 research articles with practitioner takeaways
1 BACB Supervision CEUs · $29.99 · BehaviorLive
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All behavior-analytic intervention is individualized. The information on this page is for educational purposes and does not constitute clinical advice. Treatment decisions should be informed by the best available published research, individualized assessment, and obtained with the informed consent of the client or their legal guardian. Behavior analysts are responsible for practicing within the boundaries of their competence and adhering to the BACB Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts.