Grief and Loss Theory
Grief and loss theory examines the emotional, psychological, social and behavioural
responses that individuals experience following the loss of someone or something
significant. Although grief is commonly associated with bereavement, it can also
arise following divorce, relationship breakdown, loss of health, disability,
unemployment, forced migration or other major life changes. The theory recognises
that grief is a highly individual process influenced by personal experiences, culture,
beliefs, relationships and coping strategies. Within social work, understanding grief
and loss enables practitioners to provide compassionate, person-centred support
while recognising that there is no single or correct way to grieve (Worden, 2018).
The study of grief developed significantly during the twentieth century. One of the
most influential contributions came from psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, who
proposed the Five Stages of Grief in 1969. Based on her work with people who were
terminally ill, Kübler-Ross suggested that individuals may experience denial, anger,
bargaining, depression and acceptance as they adjust to loss. Although these
stages have become widely recognised, Kübler-Ross emphasised that they were not
intended to represent a fixed sequence and that individuals may experience them
in different ways, revisit stages or not experience some stages at all (Kübler-Ross,
1969).
Later researchers expanded understanding of grief by recognising that grieving is a
dynamic and individual process rather than a series of predictable stages. J. William
Worden developed the Tasks of Mourning, proposing that bereaved individuals
gradually adapt to loss by completing four psychological tasks. These include
accepting the reality of the loss, processing the emotional pain of grief, adjusting to
life without the deceased or lost relationship, and finding an enduring connection
with what has been lost while continuing with life. Worden argued that grief involves
active adaptation rather than passive progression through predetermined stages
(Worden, 2018).
Further developments include the Dual Process Model developed by Margaret
Stroebe and Henk Schut. This model suggests that healthy grieving involves moving
between loss-oriented coping, where individuals focus on the emotional impact of
the loss, and restoration-oriented coping, where attention is directed towards
adapting to new roles, responsibilities and everyday life. Oscillating between these
Grief and loss theory examines the emotional, psychological, social and behavioural
responses that individuals experience following the loss of someone or something
significant. Although grief is commonly associated with bereavement, it can also
arise following divorce, relationship breakdown, loss of health, disability,
unemployment, forced migration or other major life changes. The theory recognises
that grief is a highly individual process influenced by personal experiences, culture,
beliefs, relationships and coping strategies. Within social work, understanding grief
and loss enables practitioners to provide compassionate, person-centred support
while recognising that there is no single or correct way to grieve (Worden, 2018).
The study of grief developed significantly during the twentieth century. One of the
most influential contributions came from psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, who
proposed the Five Stages of Grief in 1969. Based on her work with people who were
terminally ill, Kübler-Ross suggested that individuals may experience denial, anger,
bargaining, depression and acceptance as they adjust to loss. Although these
stages have become widely recognised, Kübler-Ross emphasised that they were not
intended to represent a fixed sequence and that individuals may experience them
in different ways, revisit stages or not experience some stages at all (Kübler-Ross,
1969).
Later researchers expanded understanding of grief by recognising that grieving is a
dynamic and individual process rather than a series of predictable stages. J. William
Worden developed the Tasks of Mourning, proposing that bereaved individuals
gradually adapt to loss by completing four psychological tasks. These include
accepting the reality of the loss, processing the emotional pain of grief, adjusting to
life without the deceased or lost relationship, and finding an enduring connection
with what has been lost while continuing with life. Worden argued that grief involves
active adaptation rather than passive progression through predetermined stages
(Worden, 2018).
Further developments include the Dual Process Model developed by Margaret
Stroebe and Henk Schut. This model suggests that healthy grieving involves moving
between loss-oriented coping, where individuals focus on the emotional impact of
the loss, and restoration-oriented coping, where attention is directed towards
adapting to new roles, responsibilities and everyday life. Oscillating between these
