ACC Grief & Loss Counseling 2

Question 1

A bereaved parent insists they 'should be over this by now' six months after losing a child. What is the chaplain's most therapeutic response?

Accepted Answer

Validate their grief and explain there is no fixed timeline for loss

Answer

There is no universal timeline for grief, and validating this normalizes the bereaved person's experience and reduces shame.

Question 2

Which of the following best describes 'complicated grief' (also called prolonged grief disorder)?

Accepted Answer

Intense, persistent grief that significantly impairs functioning beyond expected duration

Answer

Prolonged grief disorder involves persistent, debilitating mourning that does not follow typical adaptive trajectories and impairs daily functioning.

Question 3

A widow states she still sets a place at the table for her deceased husband every evening. How should a chaplain interpret this behavior?

Accepted Answer

A potentially normal grief ritual that maintains continuing bonds

Answer

Continuing bonds theory recognizes that maintaining symbolic connections with the deceased can be a healthy and culturally meaningful part of grieving.

Question 4

Therese Rando's '6 R' processes of mourning begin with which foundational task?

Accepted Answer

Recognizing the loss

Answer

Rando's model begins with 'Recognizing the loss,' acknowledging both the death and its implications before proceeding through subsequent processes.

Question 5

When supporting a grieving person from a culture that practices loud, communal wailing at funerals, the chaplain should:

Accepted Answer

Recognize this as a culturally valid mourning practice and support it

Answer

Cultural humility requires chaplains to affirm expressions of grief that differ from dominant cultural norms and avoid pathologizing diverse mourning practices.

(ACC) Associate Certified Chaplains Practice Test

(ACC) Associate Certified Chaplains Practice Test

ACC Grief & Loss Counseling 2