Social support during bereavement is associated with which outcome?

Social support during bereavement is associated with which outcome?

• A. Alleviation of grief burden and healing
• B. Increased burden
• C. No effect
• D. Longer grief duration

Answer: (A)

Social support during bereavement provides emotional, practical, and informational help that helps individuals express emotions, problem-solve, maintain routines, and feel less isolated. This combination tends to reduce the perceived burden of grief and supports coping and healing, so it is associated with alleviation of grief burden and healing. The other options conflict with the protective role of social support: it is unlikely to increase the burden, have no effect, or lengthen grief duration in the absence of other complicating factors, since support helps buffer stress and promote adjustment.

Social support during bereavement provides emotional, practical, and informational help that helps individuals express emotions, problem-solve, maintain routines, and feel less isolated. This combination tends to reduce the perceived burden of grief and supports coping and healing, so it is associated with alleviation of grief burden and healing. The other options conflict with the protective role of social support: it is unlikely to increase the burden, have no effect, or lengthen grief duration in the absence of other complicating factors, since support helps buffer stress and promote adjustment.