Grief Theory and Coping: A Case Study of Paul and Douglas's Move

This report examines the case of Paul and Douglas, whose relationship faces a challenge when Douglas receives a job offer in Scotland, prompting a potential move. The report applies the Kübler-Ross model of grief to analyze Paul's emotional journey, illustrating the stages of denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Furthermore, the report identifies and analyzes three coping strategies—appraisal-focused, solution-focused, and emotion-focused—that Paul might employ to manage the stress and emotional impact of the potential move. The analysis provides a comprehensive understanding of the psychological impact of grief and the various mechanisms individuals use to cope with significant life changes, providing valuable insights into emotional responses to loss and strategies for adaptation.

GRIEF THEORY AND
COPING MECHANISM
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY- QUESTIONS..........................................................................................................3
1. Kübler-Ross model or grief theory is used to understand the impact of move to Scotland on
Paul and its wider social network................................................................................................3
2. Identification and analysis of three copying strategies that might used by Paul to cope up
with possible move......................................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8
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INTRODUCTION
This report is mainly based on one of the significant real life event of breakup in which
Grief theory has been used to understand the problem. There are two individuals namely Douglas
and Paul that are being in relationship since three years. So, finally they have decided to get
married but recently the Douglas has get offer of new job for new role at Scotland. Thereby,
Douglas is planning to move to Scotland but Paul is not ready to move by leaving his job and
furthermore it will be long way for his family to come that stay in London. So, the report has
covered crucial information related to the case study by making use of Grief and other model and
theory. In another words, Kübler-Ross model has been used to analysis the move impact upon
Paul and its wider social network. Finally, it explained or identified three coping strategies that
can be taken by Pual to cope up with possible move.
MAIN BODY- QUESTIONS
1. Kübler-Ross model or grief theory is used to understand the impact of move to
Scotland on Paul and its wider social network
Kübler-Ross model or five stage of Griff theory specify that an individuals or people that
have experience grief go through five main series of emotional stages such as danger, anger,
bargaining, depression and acceptance. Throughout the life, every individual suffer from
different types and degree of grief that resulted in negative impact on health and well being of
individuals (Tyrrell, Harberger and Siddiqui, 2020). For examples: The pain of leaving our
loved one or getting divorce or less them due to death are some of the grief that are unbearable
as we are emotionally attached to them. Therefore, in context of case study of Douglas and Paul,
these two people are in relationship and had planned to get married in near future (Qin and et.al.,
2019). But due to shift of job of Douglas, the Paul is suffering from emotional grief as it has to
leave its family and job to go with Douglas (Marks and et.al., 2020). The five stage griff or
Kübler-Ross model is used to understand the impact of moving to Scotland one emotional and
well being of Paul and its wider social network which can be illustrated as follows:
Denial: It is first stage as grief is always an overwhelming emotion so it is usual reaction of
individuals to pretend like the change has not happened or denying the same in order to absorb
the new as per time. Moreover, the denial helps an individual’s to pace the feeling of grief for
sometime by making the person hard, numb and frozen. Thereby, similar in the case of Douglas
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and Paul, Paul at first stage tried to deny that it has to move to Scotland with Douglas due to shift
in job profile. In this stage the Paul is suffering from difficulties or grief of losing its job and
family member in order to move with Douglas after marriage so it has lead it felt sad, sorrowful
land deny the truth (Black, 2020). The family member of Paul also have not agree to the same or
belief by denying that then can went to Scotland after sometime. So deny is the most common
steps that is taken by every individuals to handle its emotions to cope with loss, grief.
Anger: The second stage is anger that acts as a masking effect as compared to denial which is
coping mechanism. As anger is the best method of hiding emotions and pain from which
particular individuals is suffering. So, the Paul after denying the truth suffering from high anger,
anxiety, as it is extremely emotionally discomfort to accept the new change that is going to
happen in its life in near future circumstances (Marks and et.al., 2020). Furthermore, the anger
has allowed Paul to openly express its emotion with less fear of rejection or judgement. At this
stage Paul is not at all ready to went to Scotland which has made more and more angry as it has
to leave its family and job behind (Mollayousefi and Bagheri, 2017). Thus, it resulted in leaving
Paul to live isolated from others, causing from frustration and irritated as there is no other
options which it can opted to minimise the impact of loss or grief.
Bargaining: The third stage of model is helpful in understanding the impact on Paul due to
shifting of Douglas job to Scotland. Such as, while copying with any emotional challenge
individuals is like to do anything with an motivate to eradicate or minimise the pain to maximum
extend. Likewise, in this situation Paul and its wider social network have pray to God that it does
not have to move to Scotland and the job should be available at its place only. So, that they both
(Paul and Douglas) need ‘not have to go to another place, that is longer distances from its family
or loved one (Larry, 2017). Furthermore, the Paul may also bargain with Douglas to find some
alternative method so that they need not have to went to Scotland, at the same time have similar
kind of job. So that they can live with their families and Paul also need not have to leave the job
in any circumstances.
Depression: The fourth stage of emotion through which an individual’s goes due to grief can be
stated as depression at which the hope of happening any good went away. The person quiets its
expectation and feels depressed, hurt and feeling of living isolated from others (Black, 2020).
Likewise in the case study, after making all efforts Paul started feeling much more depressed or
deeply hurt as it has clear identified, feel the loss which is more present and cannot be avoidable
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in any circumstances (Tyrrell, Harberger and Siddiqui, 2020). The Paul and its family member
are suffering from inner sadness as they know reality that it had to move with Douglas to
Scotland after getting married. Therefore, Paul and its family member are feeling very sad that
after sometime Paul will leave them and went to Scotland.
Acceptance: The last or fifth is of acceptance through which emotions Paul goes when Douglas
get job offer letter for new job role in Scotland. It is the stage at which individuals doesn’t have
feeling of pain of loss as it have handle its emotion in order to accept the change happily.
Moreover, there are numerous changes in life to which individuals needs to adapt to grow and
developed so as per time the grief or loss is accepted (Larry, 2017). Thereby, it can be illustrated
that the Paul after losing the hope that there is no alternative option rather than it has to move to
Scotland in any case. So, after making use of different strategies or actions or steps that result no
outcome Paul and its social network that is its family member have accepted that one day it have
to leave. Therefore, it and the family member are now ready to send to Scotland with Douglas
for its job by leaving its job and family. So, in this stage any efforts have not been made by Paul
stop going to Scotland (Cheung, 2017).
It can be interpreted from the above model that there are number of impact caused on
Paul due to new job offer to Douglas at Scotland. Paul is very angry, sad and depressed because
it has to leave its existing job and family member. The five stage through which Paul and its
family has gone resulted negative impact on their health and well being. Since initial stage they
are not at all ready to send Paul, thereby tries to implement all strategies or necessary actions but
in the end they realize and accept the change with any more resistances (Palmer, 2017).
2. Identification and analysis of three copying strategies that might used by Paul to cope
up with possible move
From the above study it can be illustrated that there are different copying mechanism or
strategies that could be used by Paul in order to cope up with loss or grief. Copying strategies
can be defined as various methods that are plan by individuals to manage or cope up with
emotion, grief or loss or in order to deal with stressful situations. People by deciding copying
strategies in advances is able to manage or handle their emotions and adapt to respective change
or loss in minimum time frame (Chow, 2019). Appraisal focused, Solution focused copying
strategy and emotional focused are three mainly copying mechanism used to deal with
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particulars situation. Therefore, three main copying mechanisms that can be used by Paul to deal
with situation can be states as:
Appraisal focused: It is one of the foremost copying strategies that could be used by Paul to
overcome the emotional loss that it is suffering because of leaving its job and family members.
The Family member should apprise to wents to Scotland with Douglas rather than being sad on
leaving the job and them. Both family member and Paul need to upgrade their respective
thinking rather than thinking negative of job offer to new place that it will lead in losing its job
and family. Paul need to think that it would be its new journey of life, where it will meet new
individuals make friend and may have fun. So, changing the way of particular thing or situation
helps in copying with grief or loss thereby leading maintaining better wellbeing and health of
individuals (Meng and et.al., 2020). Moreover, Appraisal focused thinking contributes in
developing positive mind set to deal with situation or circumstances. So, this method clearly
states that individuals need to be ready to accept change or appraise its way of thinking as per
situation or circumstances. Rather than sticking to particular thinking or not adapting as per
changes that are happing in personal life.
Solution focused copying strategy: The second strategy that could be used to cope up with loss
or Greif by Paul is solution focused. In another words, in this method the individuals in order to
overcome the stress or emotional loss try to find out alternative options or solution related to the
same (Marks and et.al., 2020). So, Paul rather than focusing on problem needs to find different
method that could be suitable to resolve the key issue pertaining to going to Scotland. It is
effective strategies as Paul rather than devoting its time and efforts on challenges tried to find out
suitable options that could be used to resolve the problem in better manner (Shaw and et.al.,
2019). Likewise, the Paul can think that it can motivate Douglas to find out similar type of job at
its place so it do not have to lost its job and leave aware from its family member.
Emotional focused: The third copying strategy or mechanism which can be used by Paul to
overcome the challenge of moving away from its family and leaving the job is through having
control over the emotion. Each and every individual is highly attach to its family member
emotionally as well as mentally so leaving apart from them is huge loss (Shaw and et.al., 2019).
The same has been suffered by Paul in the case study as it has to go to Scotland due to new job
offer to Douglas. Thereby, developing a cheering and positive attitude that life is full of fun,
change and different movement is able to think that leaving job and family member and going to
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Scotland will also can be fruitful (Shimorina and Gardent, 2018). The Paul and its family
member by handling their emotional attachment can minimise the stress that they is caused to
them due to bridging gap between them.
Thereby, it can be illustrated that all these are three main copying strategies or
mechanism which could be used to resolve the issue that are faced by Paul and its social
network. Moreover, this strategy helps in personal development of Paul as in future scenario also
it would be always ready to accept change rather than denying the same or having mental
pressure or any kind of stress (Meng and et.al., 2020). So, it is suggested that Paul by making use
of all of these or any one of the three mentioned copying mechanism can overcome its emotional
or mental stress of leaving apart from family or resigning the job.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it can be concluded that the five stage griff theory or Kübler-Ross
model has better helped in understanding the impact that is caused to Paul due to new job posting
of Douglas to Scotland. It has tried different ways to change the situation so that it does not have
to leave the job or stay away from its family member. But, at last stage it has to accept the truth
that it has to went with Douglas to Scotland or accept the new change with happiness rather than
being sad. The report has also helped in understanding the alternative copying up actions that
could be taken by Paul to minimise the impact of loss or grief. Thereby it can be summarised
from above analysis that there are various situation in life that may cause serious distress but
individuals by thinking on solution rather than problem can grow and succeed.
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REFERENCES
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in Intrapartum Settings. Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health, 65(3). pp.316-322.
Cheung, F., 2017. Five Stages of Grief When Dealing with Negative Feedback. Cleaver.
Chow, A. Y., 2019. 26 The Dual Process Model and Resilience. Promoting Resilience:
Responding to Adversity, Vulnerability, and Loss, p.26.
Larry, L., 2017. A qualitative study of the experience of individuals within information
technology teams during transition using the Kübler-Ross grief construct and the
Bridges transition model (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations
& Theses.(1944510678).
Marks, D. F and et.al., 2020. Health Psychology: Theory, Research and Practice, 6th ed., Sage,
London.
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conversation. In Proceedings of the AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence (Vol.
34, No. 05, pp. 8496-8503).
Mollayousefi, M.A. J. I. D. and Bagheri, M., 2017. The modern human and the Problem of
death: a study of Elisabeth Kubler-Ross' Theory. Journal of Religious Studies, 10(20).
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Palmer, H. U. G. H., 2017. Bereavement and grief counselling. Psychiatric and Mental Health
Nursing–The craft of caring. Oxon: Routledge, pp.679-688.
Qin, C and et.al., 2019. Cognition, emotion, and behaviour in women undergoing pregnancy
termination for foetal anomaly: A grounded theory analysis. Midwifery, 68. pp.84-90.
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Shimorina, A. and Gardent, C., 2018, November. Handling rare items in data-to-text generation.
In Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Natural Language
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Tyrrell, P., Harberger, S. and Siddiqui, W., 2020. Stages of Dying. StatPearls [Internet].
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