Death & Dying Final Exam
A "teachable moment" is one in which
an opportunity for learning arises out of ordinary experiences.
A theme common to mourning behaviors cross-culturally is that the bereaved
are different from those not mourning and this difference diminishes with time.
By what age do most children understand that death is final?
around 9 years of age
In relation to suicide, the term postvention refers to
assistance given to all survivors of suicide.
Studies of the Oregon Death with Dignity Act show that the decision to request a prescription for lethal medication was associated mainly with patients' concerns about loss of dignity, loss of ability to have an enjoyable life, and loss of
autonomy.
Sharing the story of a loss provides emotional relief, promotes the search for meaning, and
brings people together in support of one another.
In the wake of multiple losses, survivors may feel they have "run out of tears," resulting in bereavement
burnout
What is an example of a homemade condolence?
Comfort Quilts
When asked, "What makes things die?" a child responds, "You can die if you swallow a dirty bug." According to Piaget's theory, this child is probably in which developmental stage?
Concrete operational
What term do social scientists use to describe the phenomenon of societies falling behind in dealing with new challenges resulting from rapid technological and social change?
Cultural lag
What can be defined as "all that in human society which is socially rather than biologically transmitted"?
Culture
What age group is at higher risk for suicide than any other age group?
Elderly
Sick children competing in a wheelchair race through hospital corridors is an example of what coping mechanism?
Finding a substitute for a desired activity
What document combines a living will and a health care power of attorney?
Five Wishes
What is the application of medical knowledge to questions of law?
Forensic pathology
Currently, what are the two leading causes of death in the United States?
Heart disease and cancer
Which of the following BEST describes a "cosmopolitan" society?
Ideas and practices from other cultures are valued and examined.
What is the condition when a person dies without having left a valid will?
Intestate
In Erickson's model, approximately what age marks the beginning of the child's moral sense?
Preschool and kindergarten years
Which is a suggestion for communicating with a seriously ill two-year-old child?
Provide maximum physical relief and comfort
According to the dual-process model of coping, what coping behavior includes mastering tasks that had been taken care of by the deceased and developing a new identity?
Restoration-oriented
What phrase best defines how death is a mirror in which a dying person could discover his/her destiny by taking a moral balance sheet of his/her life?
Speculum mortis
Which of the following is generally considered a high-grief death?
The death of a teenager in a car accident
What is the purpose of post-trauma defusing?
To assure people involved that their feelings are normal
What is considered the "signature injury" of recent wars?
Traumatic brain injuries
What is Edwin Shneidman referring to in his use of the term psychache?
Unbearable mental pain caused by the frustration of a person's most important needs
Which country spends more on health than any other industrialized country?
United States
The first formal course in death education at an American university was held at
University of Minnesota in 1963.
Which of the following is NOT a musical expression associated with death?
Veil tale
If a person says, "A life without love is a life not worth living," in which of the following ways is suicidal intent being communicated?
Verbal indirect
What type of settlement allows a person with terminal illness to sell his or her life insurance policy before death and receive a percentage of its face value?
Viactical
Which was a turning point in the "medicalization" of death and dying?
WWI
A psychological autopsy is
a method of determining a person's thoughts and state of mind prior to death.
In general, Native Americans view death as
a normal part of the life cycle.
The text cites the lullaby "Rockabye Baby" to illustrate the point that
a number of lullabies contain messages about human and animal death.
In Erikson's model, the years from about six to the beginning of puberty correspond to what stage?
industry vs. inferiority
According to a study by Myra Bluebond-Langner, seriously ill children in a leukemia ward were able to guess their condition by
interpreting how people behaved toward them.
Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) refers to
intervention following traumatic events.
According to Barton Bernstein, the first legal stage in cases of terminal illness
involves the patient in long-range planning and arranging legal and financial affairs.
Among those who die by suicide
males outnumber females by about 4 to 1.
Regarding familicide, some experts find that
men are more likely to kill both their children and their spouse.
Research indicates that capital punishment is
not an effective deterrent to murder.
The Great East Japan Earthquake of March 2011 triggered a massive tsunami causing significant damage to Japan's
nuclear reactors.
A parent's death is perceived as a loss of security, affection and
nurture
Covid-19 is best described as a(n) __________________.
pandemic
In Candace West's study of how doctors and patients relate to each other, all of the following were true EXCEPT:
patients feel free to ask lots of questions.
A characteristic self-protective human response to mass death and carnage is
psychic numbing.
Among the first steps to be taken in responding to a disaster are a set of core actions collectively defined as
psychological first aid.
The purpose of the triage system is to
reduce the time between injury and care.
After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, a Senate investigation reported a failure of government at all levels to plan, prepare for and
respond aggressively to the storm.
Most people are the most fearful of violent acts that occur without apparent cause and when the victim is
selected seemingly at random.
In many traditional societies communication with the dead is facilitated by a
shaman
The model of human development devised by Erikson focuses on
stages of psychosocial development
In attempting to settle an estate, the court will make a determined effort to locate heirs. If none can be found the proceeds go to the
state government
When discussing death with a child, an adult should
tell the truth while considering the child's developmental level and ability to understand.
Use of websites like Caring Bridge are part of the ____________ death subsystems.
thanatechnological
Why should a student of death and dying become familiar with the death customs of other cultures?
to note similarities and differences and thus gain a greater appreciation of other cultures
Factors that can restimulate grief for survivors of a homicide are termed
trigger events.
The grief-work model has been widely accepted as the standard formulation for
understanding and helping people accommodate to loss.
Día de los Muertos, the Mexican Day of the Dead, blends Catholic, Spanish, and Indian rituals. This celebration exemplifies an attitude toward death that
views death in an open, humorous, ironic manner.
Surveys indicate that most people diagnosed with a life-threatening illness
want to be told.
Disenfranchised grief is most likely to occur in this example:
when a pregnant woman experiences a miscarriage
All of the following are associated with the mission of modern hospitals EXCEPT
care of patients with long term residential needs.
Feelings of inadequacy, nonreciprocal giving, and too many demands are among the main sources of
caregiver stress
An irreversible process of deterioration in the body's systems and organs is
cellular death
Jean Piaget's model of development emphasizes
cognitive transformations
A 16 year old boy died by suicide, within 2 months, 3 other boys from his high school also attempted or died by suicide. This is an example of a suicide as a(n) _______________.
contagion
All of the following are methods of determining clinical death EXCEPT
decomposition of the body's cells
Rational suicide is associated with a
desire to bring release from pain and suffering.
Genocide involves efforts to
destroy an entire national or political group
Avoiding words like dead or dying, instead using phrases in which loved ones "pass away," the deceased is "laid to rest" and the corpse is "remains", is an example of
euphemisms
In the wake of a disaster, the survivors may experience a/an __________ marked by a profound sense of emptiness and despair.
existential crisis
The "principle of symmetry" advocated by Daniel Callahan states that a technology should be judged by a balance between the
extension and saving of life and the quality of life.
Historically, death has been ascertained by the absence of
heartbeat and breathing
Coping may be more complicated for a child when the death of a parent results from
homicide
What has been called the "oil of society"?
humor
Around the twelfth century, simple grave markers began to appear as did elaborate effigies. This was as part of increasing emphasis on
individualism
In funerals within the Hawaiian culture, children were traditionally
an important part of the family gathering.
Children can experience "survivor's guilt" as young as
4 years old
What are the different modes of death on a typical death certificate?
Accidental, suicidal, homicidal, and natural
Regarding a mature concept of death, which of the following is true about universality?
All living things must eventually die.
According to David Balk, which of the following is most likely to cause adolescents to ask questions about the nature of life and death, about good and evil, and about the meaning of life?
Death of a sibling
Which of the following BEST characterizes the concerns of seriously ill children from roughly ages five to nine?
Discomforting and possibly disfiguring effects of the disease and related medical procedures
Ethical questions regarding the "right to die" first came to public attention in the landmark court case involving:
Karen Ann Quinlan.
What is a fundamental principle in medical care which is the injunction to "do no harm"?
Nonmaleficence
What is considered the most important legal procedure following a death?
Official registration of death
Which of the following is NOT an example of the dimension of sociological thanatology?
Pain control
Who is at the center of the "ideal caring situation?"
Patient
According to George Gerbner, the "mean world syndrome" describes depictions of death in the mass media as embedded in a structure of violence that conveys
a heightened sense of danger
When a child is ill, or a death occurs in the family, sudden changes in family communication patterns can be
alarming to a child and can heighten anxiety.
The coffin bell-pull device was invented to
alert of a premature burial
The type of suicide involving a person who ends his or her life for others or for a greater good is known as
altruistic suicide
A charnel house was a
gallery for bones entrusted to the church.
The emotional reaction and responses of anguish, anger, or relief to the death of a loved one are collectively termed
grief
The idea that one can die of a "broken heart"
has been investigated scientifically and a correlation between bereavement and subsequent death exist.
What profession in the United States loses, on average, as many as 400 people to suicide each year?
physcians
The danse macabre was originally a reaction to fear of death caused by
plague
While more young people than ever claim no religion, there seems to be a growing interest in
spirituality
The elements of the health care system are patient, institution, and
staff
Except when required by law, an autopsy can be performed only after
the next of kin's consent.
