CBP CBP Child and Adolescent Bereavement 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which developmental stage is MOST likely to exhibit 'magical thinking' as a response to the death of a parent?
- Adolescence
- Early childhood (ages 2–7) (Correct answer)
- Middle childhood (ages 8–11)
- Infancy
Correct answer: Early childhood (ages 2–7)
Children in Piaget's preoperational stage (ages 2–7) commonly use magical thinking, believing their thoughts or wishes may have caused a death.
Question 2: A 10-year-old bereaved child repeatedly asks the same questions about how a grandparent died. This behavior MOST likely indicates:
- Pathological grief requiring immediate intervention
- A normal need to process the loss through repetition (Correct answer)
- Dissociative symptoms
- Attention-seeking behavior unrelated to grief
Correct answer: A normal need to process the loss through repetition
Repetitive questioning is a developmentally normal way school-age children cognitively process and integrate the reality of a loss.
Question 3: The Dougy Center model for children's grief groups is primarily based on which core belief?
- Children grieve the same way as adults
- Grief is a problem that needs to be fixed
- Children have an innate capacity to heal and need a safe space to express grief (Correct answer)
- Structured cognitive-behavioral exercises are essential for child grief
Correct answer: Children have an innate capacity to heal and need a safe space to express grief
The Dougy Center model holds that children are resilient and have a natural capacity to heal when given a safe, supportive environment.
Question 4: When informing a child about a death, best practice recommends using which type of language?
- Euphemisms such as 'passed away' or 'went to sleep' to soften the message
- Clear, honest, and age-appropriate language including the word 'died' (Correct answer)
- Medical terminology to convey seriousness
- Abstract spiritual concepts regardless of family beliefs
Correct answer: Clear, honest, and age-appropriate language including the word 'died'
Using clear language like 'died' prevents confusion and magical thinking, which can be caused by common euphemisms like 'went to sleep.'
Question 5: An adolescent who has lost a sibling begins skipping school, withdrawing from friends, and using substances. A CBP practitioner would FIRST:
- Report the substance use to law enforcement
- Dismiss the behaviors as typical teenage rebellion
- Assess for complicated grief, depression, and suicide risk (Correct answer)
- Immediately place the adolescent in inpatient treatment
Correct answer: Assess for complicated grief, depression, and suicide risk
A comprehensive risk assessment is the priority when a bereaved adolescent displays multiple warning signs including social withdrawal and substance use.
Question 6: Which of the following is a hallmark sign that differentiates 'typical' childhood grief from a more serious clinical concern?
- Crying at unexpected moments
- Persistent functional impairment lasting more than six months (Correct answer)
- Asking questions about the deceased
- Wanting to keep a possession of the deceased
Correct answer: Persistent functional impairment lasting more than six months
Persistent functional impairment—difficulty in school, relationships, or daily activities lasting over six months—signals a need for clinical evaluation beyond normal grief support.
CBP CBP Child and Adolescent Bereavement 1
Which developmental stage is MOST likely to exhibit 'magical thinking' as a response to the death of a parent?