Association for Behavior Analysis International

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35th Annual Convention; Phoenix, AZ; 2009

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Symposium #160
Research and Treatment in the Context of Valued Living
Sunday, May 24, 2009
9:00 AM–10:20 AM
North 222 AB
Area: CBM/VBC; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis
Chair: Stephanie L. Nassar (University of Mississippi)
Abstract: Contemporary contextual-behaviorism defines values as “freely chosen, verbally constructed consequences of ongoing, dynamic, evolving patterns of activity, which establish predominant reinforcers for that activity that are intrinsic in engagement in the valued behavioral pattern itself” (Wilson, Sandoz, Kitchens, & Roberts, under review). Valued living as measured by the Valued Living Questionnaire (VLQ) is positively correlated with social functioning, mental health, and quality of life, and negatively correlated with psychological distress and experiential avoidance (Wilson et al., under review). This symposium includes a conceptual paper on values and valued living. It also presents findings from several studies examining the Valued Living Questionnaire (VLQ), values-centered writing, and the development of the Valued Living Questionnaire-II (VLQ-2).
 
Values in ACT: A Technical and Clinical Analysis.
KELLY G. WILSON (University of Mississippi), Kate Kellum (The University of Mississippi), Emily Kennison Sandoz (University of Mississippi)
Abstract: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) asks of individuals a difficult thing – to step willingly into the pain with which they have struggled and notice what has kept that struggle alive. In this way, ACT focuses on loosening the grip of aversive control, allowing for the emergence of new sources of appetitive control and the expansion of the client’s behavioral repertoire. A shared sense of values, as well as the vulnerabilities that accompany it, directs and dignifies this difficult work of therapy. This paper will offer a technical behavioral definition of values, an exploration of the intimate relationship between values and vulnerabilities, and suggestions for the facilitation of valued living for our clients and for us.
 
Values as Indicators for Reasons for Living: Correlations Between The Valued Living Questionnaire (VLQ) and Reasons For Living (RFL) Questionnaire.
RACHAEL C. HOWARD (The University of Mississippi), Kelly G. Wilson (University of Mississippi), Kate Kellum (The University of Mississippi), Stephanie L. Nassar (University of Mississippi)
Abstract: This study investigates the relationship between self-reports on the Valued Living Questionnaire (VLQ) and Reasons for Living (RFL) questionnaire in a sample of college students from a large southeastern public university. Specifically, this study examines how personal values play a role in consideration of suicide by comparing reasons listed for not committing suicide on the RFL with endorsements on the VLQ.
 
Values-Centered Writing: Explorations Within The Expressive Writing Paradigm.
STEPHANIE L. NASSAR (University of Mississippi), Kelly G. Wilson (University of Mississippi), Kate Kellum (The University of Mississippi), Maureen Kathleen Flynn (University of Mississippi)
Abstract: Over the past two decades, researchers have provided evidence to suggest that individual's physical and mental health improve after writing about deeply emotional experiences (Baikie & Wilhelm, 2005; Pennebaker, 1997). More recently, researchers have explored the impact of writing about important personal values. Values-centered writing has shown to decrease defensiveness to self-threatening information (McQueen & Klein, 2006; Sherman et al., 2000) as well as increase positive other-directed feelings, such as love and connection (Crocker et al., 2008), and grades of African American students (Cohen et al., 2006). This study had two purposes. The first purpose was to compare the effects of writing about deeply emotional experiences with the effects of writing about important personal values on measures of psychological well-being. The second purpose was to examine whether writing about values in conjunction with writing about a deeply emotional event would enhance self-reported psychological well-being. Participants completed questionnaires on psychological well-being, were randomly assigned to writing conditions, and participated in three consecutive 15-minute writing sessions. Participants returned one week and one month after writing to complete questionnaires on psychological well-being.
 
Improving Measurements of Valued Living: Validation of the Valued Living Questionnaire-II (VLQ-2).
MAUREEN KATHLEEN FLYNN (University of Mississippi), Kelly G. Wilson (University of Mississippi), Kate Kellum (The University of Mississippi), Emily Kennison Sandoz (University of Mississippi)
Abstract: This study examined the psychometric properties of the Valued Living Questionaire-II (VLQ-2), an updated version of the therapeutic measure, the Valued Living Questionnaire (VLQ), used in the practice of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. The VLQ assesses the importance of ten valued living domains and consistency of action towards these valued domains. The VLQ-2 expands on the VLQ by assessing additional aspects related to the ten valued living domains. The aspects related to the valued domains contained in the VLQ-2 include, the possibility that something meaningful could happen in the domain, current importance of the domain, overall importance of the domain, recent action in the domain, satisfaction level with recent action in the domain, and level of concern that the domain will not progress as desired. Participants in this study filled out the VLQ-2 and additional measures of pathology, psychological flexibility, and purpose in life on two separate occasions to assess the reliability and validity of the VLQ-2.
 

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