What type of normal response occurs following the loss of a loved one and typically resolves within one year?

The correct response is bereavement. Bereavement specifically refers to the state of having lost someone close, particularly in relation to the emotional and physical reactions that follow such a loss. It encompasses the feelings of grief, which can include sadness, anger, confusion, and yearning, as well as the social and cultural context surrounding the loss.

While grief describes the emotional response itself, bereavement is more encompassing, including the entire process of adjusting to the loss. This process often lasts for a specific duration, typically resolving within a year for most individuals, as people gradually come to accept the loss and adapt to life without their loved one.

Understanding bereavement distinguishes it from mourning, which refers to the public display of grief and the rituals surrounding death, and from depression, which is a clinical diagnosis involving persistent sadness and lack of interest that may require treatment. Grief is a natural response, whereas bereavement describes the overall experience of loss, making it the most appropriate term for this context.