Grief Work Theory (Freud) - Death is a fact of life, and there are universal dynamics in grieving. The process of mourning includes painful dejection, withdrawal of interest in the outside world, loss of capacity to love, and inhibition of activity. The work of mourning is accomplished gradually.
Attachment Theory (John Bowlby) - There is a common human tendency to develop strong affectional bonds. Grief is an instinctive universal response to separation. Grief is a predictable pattern in response to death.
Stage Theory (Elisabeth Kübler Ross) - One of the most influential theories of grief, stage theory consists of five stages in the dying process: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. The reality of death assimilates gradually, not all at once.
Task-Based Theory (William Worden) - There are four tasks of mourning: 1) accept the reality of the loss, 2) work through the pain of grief, 3) adjusting to an environment in which the deceased is missing, and 4) finding a new form of connection to the deceased and moving on with life.
Dual Process Model (Margaret Stroebe and Henk Schut) - People deal with loss dialectically, going between loss-oriented coping and restoration-oriented coping. Individuals self-regulate bereavement by confronting their loss and avoiding the emotional pain of grieving.
Meaning Reconstruction (Robert Neimeyer) - A central process of grieving is the attempt to reaffirm or reconstruct a world of meaning that has been challenged by loss. The bereaved are prompted to "rewrite" important parts of their life story to accommodate the death and project themselves into a meaningful future.
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