ACT ACT Values Clarification & Committed Action 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In ACT, 'values' are best defined as:
- Goals that can be achieved and checked off
- Moral rules imposed by society or culture
- Freely chosen directions that give life meaning and guide behavior (Correct answer)
- Beliefs about what is right or wrong
Correct answer: Freely chosen directions that give life meaning and guide behavior
ACT defines values as chosen life directions—ongoing qualities of action that give meaning and purpose, distinct from goals which can be completed.
Question 2: Which of the following is an example of a value (rather than a goal) in ACT terms?
- Getting a promotion at work
- Being a caring and present parent (Correct answer)
- Completing a 5K race
- Saving $10,000
Correct answer: Being a caring and present parent
Being a caring and present parent is a value—an ongoing direction—while getting a promotion, completing a race, and saving money are specific, achievable goals.
Question 3: The ACT 'Tombstone Exercise' or 'Eulogy Exercise' is primarily used to:
- Confront death anxiety
- Elicit core values by reflecting on how one wants to be remembered (Correct answer)
- Process grief and loss
- Practice present-moment awareness
Correct answer: Elicit core values by reflecting on how one wants to be remembered
This exercise invites clients to consider how they want to be remembered or what they want their life to have stood for, revealing deeply held values.
Question 4: In ACT, 'valued living' is distinguished from 'goal achievement' because:
- Goals are more important than values in guiding behavior
- Values provide continuous direction while goals are finite endpoints (Correct answer)
- Valued living is only possible after major goals are achieved
- Goals and values are interchangeable concepts in ACT
Correct answer: Values provide continuous direction while goals are finite endpoints
Goals are achievable milestones along a values-directed path; values themselves are never 'completed' and provide ongoing direction for living.
Question 5: When a client's stated values appear to be driven by social pressure rather than personal choice, an ACT consultant should:
- Accept the client's values without question
- Challenge the client's values using Socratic questioning
- Explore whether the values are truly chosen or represent compliance (Correct answer)
- Instruct the client on what values are therapeutically appropriate
Correct answer: Explore whether the values are truly chosen or represent compliance
ACT emphasizes freely chosen values; a consultant explores whether stated values reflect genuine personal choice or social compliance/avoidance, without imposing values.
Question 6: The ACT 'Bull's Eye' exercise is used to help clients:
- Identify cognitive distortions in their thinking
- Assess how closely their current behavior aligns with their values across life domains (Correct answer)
- Set SMART goals for the coming week
- Practice mindful breathing techniques
Correct answer: Assess how closely their current behavior aligns with their values across life domains
The Bull's Eye exercise maps clients' current behavior against their values in domains like work, relationships, health, and personal growth, visually identifying gaps.
ACT ACT Values Clarification & Committed Action 1
In ACT, 'values' are best defined as: