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Instrumental Grieving Style Validation — SCE Palliative Medicine MCQ

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ModerateBereavementInstrumental Grieving Style ValidationSCE Palliative Medicine

A hospice bereavement service identifies a bereaved man who is “coping by keeping busy.” He has returned to work immediately, thrown himself into projects, and resists any discussion of his feelings. His wife is concerned he is “in denial.” What does bereavement theory suggest about this presentation?

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Correct answer: B — Per Doka and Martin’s grieving‑styles framework, he may be an “instrumental griever” who processes grief through activity, thinking and problem‑solving rather than emotional expression — a valid coping style, not denial

Explanation lettering: E = shown as A · D = shown as C · A = shown as D · C = shown as E

Doka & Martin’s model distinguishes between intuitive and instrumental grieving, the latter characterised by action‑ or thinking‑based processing of loss rather than overt emotional expression. This presentation—keeping busy, returning to work promptly, avoiding emotional discussion—is consistent with instrumental grieving, not denial. UK bereavement guidance (e.g. RCPsych) emphasises no single “right” way to grieve. Forcing counselling conflicts with person‑centred UK practice. Options C and D generalise emotional expression incorrectly; option E mislabels normal coping as pathological.

Reference: Linguistic and Personological Features of the Doka and Martin Grieving Style Continuum (2022) – PubMed; RCPsych bereavement guidance (current), https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34229498/