The Stubborn Persistence of Grief Stage Theory

Abstract

Bereavement professionals who keep up with current research have wisely discarded the “five stages of grief” theory in favor of more contemporary, more functional models, including continuing bonds, tasks of grieving, meaning-reconstruction, the six Rs of mourning, and the dual-process model. But the stage theory has stubbornly persisted, despite a steady stream of criticism in academia and countless commentaries on the dangers of using it in bereavement counseling. Public support and pockets of professional endorsement for the stages continues to exist, undeterred by the knowledge that there is very little, if any, evidence to support its usefulness. Because there is a tendency for the general public to embrace ideas popularized in mainstream media, the stage theory clings tenaciously to public acceptance.