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Kubler-Ross Grief Cycle

Theory Summary

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross developed a model of personal change after spending time analysing the emotional responses to grief by terminally ill patients. This model, commonly called the "Kubler-Ross Grief Cycle", identifies the human emotional response to change over time in a cycle that includes denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.


EMOTIONAL RESPONSE RESPONSE
Denial * Suggest problem has corrected itself and it will soon be over
  * Exhibit apathy and numbness
  * Rationalise change away
Anger * Sabotage the change effort
  * Play "shoot the messenger"
  * Withdraw from society
Bargaining * Cut a deal to spare others harm
  * Suggest other concerns to redirect problem solving
Depression * Express a loss of control
  * Withdraw from society
Acceptance * Express ownership for solutions
  * Focus on achieving benefits

This emotional cycle is not exclusive to the terminally ill, it also affects people and communities impacted by bad news. The important factor is not that the change is good or bad, but that the person or community perceives it as a significantly negative event.

Source

United States Army Enterprise Integration Oversight Office: Enterprise Solutions Competency Center; ChangingMinds.com; Mary Opie, 2001 "Managing Change". For more information, please visit the Elisabeth Kubler-Ross website.


Placed on the Communication Initiative site August 12 2005
Last Updated August 12 2005


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COMMENTS POSTED


Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 2006-01-14 16:43.

creo CAMAREN llena un vacio la interaccion entre instituciones que trabajan en el tema de desarrollo rural principalmente, ademas la socializacion de innformacion y experienciaas es importantye por eso me parece exelente el trabajo que viene realizando CAMAREN

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Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 2006-01-14 16:44.

Me olvide poner mi direccion por quisiera recibir informacion
reynaldo_rocha@latinmail.com

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Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 2005-11-26 20:53.

it helped me to understand my self better and move on with life

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Submitted by Anonymous on Sun, 2006-09-24 22:59.

Clear and succint
Nicely laid out

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Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 2006-09-22 00:00.

needs more info

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Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 2006-08-09 05:44.

Nice content, but the colors make you look like you are from 1998. Hire a designer.

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Submitted by Anonymous on Sun, 2006-08-27 22:55.

More in depth information regarding each stage and sample behaviours would be more relevant to my work as a counsellor.

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