Health psychology/Models & behaviour · Behavioural model

Kübler-Ross grief stages

What it means

Five non-sequential responses to loss/dying: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance. Not everyone experiences all, or in order.

Worked example

A newly diagnosed patient cycles between disbelief, anger at clinicians, "if only" bargaining, low mood and eventual acceptance.

In the exam

After a terminal diagnosis a patient moves unpredictably between refusing to believe it, anger at staff, "if I just…" bargaining, despair, and finally a settled acceptance.

What settles it

Kübler-Ross describes stages of GRIEF/dying. It is descriptive, not a behaviour-change model like Stages of Change (which targets a chosen behaviour).

Classically confused with

Stages of change

Source: Kübler-Ross 1969