The Conceptualization and Measurement of Values: A Review of the Psychometric Properties of Measures Developed to Inform Values Work with Adults

The construct of values, or principles that are personally meaningful and influence behavior, has long been implicated in psychological health and well-being. Recently, research documenting the benefits associated with articulating and behaving consistently with one’s values has led to an increase in the integration of values work into evidence-based therapies. However, the operational definition and measurement of values across studies is inconsistent. This paper presents a systematic review of values measures that have been the focus at least one published study of its psychometric properties. Each measure was rated on several domains including reliability, validity, interpretability, and generalizability to provide an indicator of the availability and quality of psychometric data. Recommendations regarding the next steps needed to improve the assessment of this important construct are provided.