The five stages of grief: perceptions of its Relevance within the South African context

Abstract

Death and the grief that accompanies it are universal human experiences. However, the perception of these events varies significantly from context to context, with nuances in their expression. The Five Stage Model of Grief, conceptualised by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, is accepted as a universal model of the death and grieving process, gaining global recognition and precedence over other theories and models of grief. However, the findings leading to the development of the Kübler-Ross model were based entirely on the observation of Western participants who were dying, not bereaved individuals, prompting questions about its generalisability generally and to experiences of grief specifically. This study aimed to address the gap in understanding the phenomenon of grief in South Africa by focusing on psychologists and their experiences of grief and the application of the Kübler-Ross model. The global South relies on traditions and rituals as part of the grieving process, which the Five Stages of Grief model does not fully encompass. The study thus aimed to explore the relevance of the Five Stages of Grief model in contemporary South African and global contexts from the perspective of psychologists who have primary experience with grief counselling. The population from which the sample was drawn were HPCSA-registered clinical and counselling psychologists as well as registered counsellors who work with clients experiencing death and grief. The study drew on the qualitative research method, focusing on understanding and discovering the meanings of experiences, behaviours, and individual life histories. The study found that the Kübler-Ross model has applicability to the South African context but that cultural experiences may produce the need for a more critical application of the stages of grief. The study concludes that the Kübler-Ross model can be utilised, provided it is done so with criticality and adapted to the cultural and religious belief systems from within which grief is being expressed.Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Behavioural & Lifestyle Sciences, 202