Certified Hospice and Palliative Assistant (CHPNA) Practice Test

What indicates complicated grief occurring more than six months after a loss?

1. Lack of emotional response

2. Yearning, intrusive thoughts, and guilt

3. Increased social activities

4. Complete acceptance of loss

The correct answer is: Yearning, intrusive thoughts, and guilt

The presence of yearning, intrusive thoughts, and guilt more than six months following a loss indicates complicated grief. In this context, complicated grief extends beyond typical grieving processes, which may involve sadness or longing but tend to subside over time. When an individual experiences persistent yearning for the deceased, recurring intrusive memories of the person who died, or feelings of guilt associated with the loss, it suggests that the individual is struggling to come to terms with their grief. Unlike normal bereavement, where individuals gradually adapt to their loss and find ways to remember their loved ones positively, complicated grief denotes a difficulty in moving forward. This state can lead to significant distress and may impact the person’s ability to function in everyday life. The emotional responses associated with complicated grief can become overwhelming and detrimental, hindering the healing process. In contrast, other options do not accurately reflect the characteristics of complicated grief. A lack of emotional response might suggest an absence of processing the loss, but this does not capture the essence of the complicated nature of the grief. Increased social activities may indicate avoidance or denial rather than an effective coping mechanism for grief. Complete acceptance of loss signals a healthy resolution of grief, which is contrary to the concept of complicated grief wherein acceptance remains elusive.