Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) Practice Test

Which characteristic best describes a child who has experienced grief?

1. Difficulty in concentrating

2. Engaging in excessive play

3. Difficulty in making friends

4. Heightened sense of independence

The correct answer is: Difficulty in concentrating

A child who has experienced grief often exhibits difficulty in concentrating as a result of their emotional state. Grief can lead to overwhelming feelings, distractions from relevant tasks, and challenges in focusing on schoolwork or activities. This inability to concentrate may manifest in various ways, such as daydreaming, forgetfulness, or being easily distracted, all of which are common responses to the emotional turmoil that comes with loss. While the other options may reflect various behaviors in children, they are not as directly linked to the experience of grief. For example, excessive play could indicate a way for a child to cope with their feelings, rather than a direct characteristic of grief itself. Similarly, difficulty in making friends might stem from other social anxieties or personality traits and is not solely indicative of grief. A heightened sense of independence could emerge in some children as they deal with their emotions, but it does not encapsulate the overarching impact that grief has on a child's cognitive processes and emotional regulation like difficulty in concentrating does.