Question

About Theoretical perspectives on loss and Bereavement, document and exemplify the Stage of the grief process identified by Kubler-Ross.

Include a list of all references used to support your

Answer 1

Grief is a subjective state of emotional,physical and social response to the loss of a valued entity.The loss my be real,in which case it can be substantiated by others or percieved by the individual alone,in which case it cannot be percieved or shared by others.

Stages of Grief

Kubler-Ross(1969) have done extensive research with terminally ill patients identified five stages of feelings and behaviour that individuals experience in response to a real,percieved or anticipated loss.

Stage 1 -Denial This is a stage of shock and disbelief.The response may be one of like that it cant be true.It is a protective mechanism that allows the individual to cope within an immediate time-frame while organizing more effective defense strategies.

Stage 2-Anger -Anger may be directed at self or displaced on loved ones,care givers and even God.There maybe preoccupation with an idealized image of the lost entity

Stage 3-Bargaining- during this stage ,which is generally not visible or evident to others ,a bargain is made with God in an attempt to reverse or postpone the loss.

Stage 4 Depression During this stage the full impact of the loss is experienced.This is a time of quiet desperation and disengagement from all associations with the lost entity.

Stage 5-Acceptance The final stage brings a feeling of peace regarding the loss that has occured.Focus is on the reality of the loss and its meaning for the individuals affected by it.

All individuals do not experience each of these stages in response to a loss ,nor do they necessarily experience them in this order .Some individuals grieving behaviour may fluctuate and even overlap between stages

Resolution of Grief-Resolution of the process of mourning is thought to have occured when an individual can look back on relationship with the lost entity and accept both the pleasure and the disappointments of the association.Preoccupation with the lost entity is replaced with energy and desire to pursue new situations and relationships.The length of the grief process may be prolonged by a number of factors.If the relationship with the lost entity had been marked by ambivalence ,reaction to the loss may be burdened with guilt ,which lengthens the grief reaction.In anticipatory grief where a loss is anticipated,individuals may begin the work of grieving before the actual loss occurs.Most people experience the grieving behaviour once the actual loss occurs,but having this time to prepare for the loss can facilitate the process of mourning,actually decreasing the length and intensity of the response.

REFERENCE-Taylor CM.Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry,Fourteenth edition.C.V.Mosby:London,1982