Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. Psychology
2025. Vol. 15, no. 4, 514–530
ISSN: 2658-3607 / 2658-6010 (online)
The Dual Process Model of Coping with Bereavement: Theory and Practice
Abstract
This article offers a theoretical analysis of the Dual Process Model of coping with bereavement, developed by Margaret Stroebe and Henk Schut. It briefly outlines psychology of loss and grief as a scientific field and the main theoretical approaches to these concepts. The article describes the prerequisites for creating the model and its theoretical foundations. The key components are examined: loss-oriented coping, restoration-oriented coping, and their alternation (oscillation). The development of the model is traced from the first version, which distinguished types of coping, to later extensions. These included analysis of the cognitive dimension of loss, integration of Robert Neimeyer’s meaning reconstruction concept, inclusion of the family context of grieving with inter- and intrapersonal levels, and the introduction of overload with four types (loss-oriented, restoration-oriented, dual, and daily stressor-related). Studies confirming the applicability of the model are reviewed, including cultural and social aspects such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Practical applications are outlined: group and individual interventions and online programs. Several psychodiagnostic tools based on the model are described, with particular attention to the Inventory of Daily Widowed Life (IDWL), whose Russian translation and initial validation were carried out by the authors. The article also presents the design of a study on a Russian sample within the model’s framework. The aim is to investigate coping with the loss of a romantic partner. The longitudinal design includes repeated assessments over a period from 3 months to 1.5 years after the loss.
General Information
Keywords: grief, bereavement, coping with loss, Inventory of Daily Widowed Life (IDWL), psychological intervention, Dual Process Model of coping with bereavement (DPM)
Journal rubric: Theoretical and Methodological Problems in Psychology
Article type: scientific article
Received 19.01.2025
Accepted
Published
For citation: Zazimko, A.S., Burina, E.A. (2025). The Dual Process Model of Coping with Bereavement: Theory and Practice. Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. Psychology, 15(4), 514–530. (In Russ.). URL: https://psyjournals.ru/en/journals/vspu_psychology/archive/2025_n4/Zazimko_Burina (viewed: 03.03.2026)
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