Models of grief integration: Dual Process Model

Models of grief integration: Dual Process Model

Overview 

History of development

Stroebe & Schut (who) what context

Application across demographics

Validate evidence base

Detail

The oscillation between grief and restoration

The dual-process model of grief (Stroebe & Schut, 1999, 2002, 2005), is a holistic method for dealing with grief and loss, which acknowledges individual experiences as different and unique.

The dual-process model of coping with grief:

  • notes that part of a healthy grieving process is both focusing on, and avoiding loss-related material;
  • states that moving between focusing on, and avoiding loss-related material is called oscillation; and
  • that grieving in manageable parts versus totally head-on is part of healthy and adaptive grief processing.

During healthy grief processing, individuals will oscillate between focusing on their loss (loss-oriented), and distracting themselves from their loss (restoration-oriented).

Complications arise when the oscillation process breaks down, and the individual becomes ‘stuck’, focussing on either loss or restoration stressors.

The two processes that make up the dual-process theory of grieving are:

  1. Loss-oriented stressor
  2. Restoration-oriented stressors