"Jim is missing my point in posting that study. It's not that Maciejewski et al is particularly good; it's not. It's that it seems to be the only attempt to empirically investigate these alleged stages of grief, which were based originally on nothing more that anecdote."
It was my understanding Kubler-Ross developed her theoretical views largely from systematic interviewing. I have not read her original work, so I could be mistaken. If I am not, that hardly strikes me as "ancedote." Interviewing may not be as rigorous as other methods of data collecting, but the last time I checked it is presented as a valid form of collecting data and contributing to scientific knowledge. Further, I have plenty of experience in this area to be able to "test" (although not rigorously) her ideas. The problem, Stephen, is that you seem to have initially argued this research article refuted Kubler-Ross, in that the dominant psychological reaction isn't denial but acceptance. Am I right, or have I misremembered your earlier comments? The problem again is that the very beginning period of grieving is not focused on int this study, so to claim that this study would refute the notion that denial/shock is a dominant reaction in the bereaved is simply a poor interpretation. If I am misinterpreting your observations, let's hear it. I'm all for data, but I do like my data to be relevant. Jim G --- To make changes to your subscription go to: http://acsun.frostburg.edu/cgi-bin/lyris.pl?enter=tips&text_mode=0&lang=english
