Funeral Service Practice Exam 2026 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

The stages of grief articulated by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross are widely recognized and serve as a framework for understanding how individuals cope with the emotional turmoil that accompanies loss. The correct answer encompasses five primary stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.

In the context of grief, denial serves as an initial defense mechanism protecting individuals from being overwhelmed by the emotional impact of their loss; it allows them to process the situation at their own pace. Anger may arise when individuals confront the reality of their loss, manifesting as frustration directed at themselves, others, or even the deceased. Bargaining represents an attempt to regain control or change the situation, often through desperate negotiations with a higher power or reflection on what could have been done differently.

Depression typically follows, marked by deep sadness and reflection on the loss and its implications, while acceptance indicates a stage where individuals start to find ways to integrate the loss into their lives, recognizing it as a part of their personal journey. This structured progression aids in understanding the complex emotions that accompany grief, allowing individuals to recognize and validate their feelings throughout the grieving process.

The other choices do not align correctly with Kübler-Ross's model, as they either include non-existent stages or rearrange the