Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) Practice Test

The expression of grief in children may manifest in which of the following ways?

1. Withdrawal and somatic complaints

2. Increased aggression

3. Extreme happiness

4. Social withdrawal only

The correct answer is: Withdrawal and somatic complaints

The expression of grief in children often manifests through withdrawal and somatic complaints. When children experience loss, they may struggle to articulate their feelings, which can lead them to withdraw from social interactions and exhibit signs of distress such as headaches, stomachaches, or other physical complaints. This is a way for them to communicate their emotional suffering when they may not yet have the language or understanding to describe the grief they are experiencing. While increased aggression can be a behavioral response to grief and can affect some children, it does not universally represent the manner in which grief is expressed. Extreme happiness would be an unlikely response as it contradicts the normal emotional responses associated with grief. Similarly, social withdrawal alone does not encompass the physical symptoms, which are a key aspect of how grief may manifest in children. Thus, the combination of withdrawal and somatic complaints captures the multifaceted nature of grief in children effectively.