Relevance of the Kübler-Ross model to the post-injury responses of competitive athletes

Abstract

Attempts to explain and/or predict the post-injury responses of competitive athletes have relied upon current models of grief. Kübler-Ross’s stage model (1969) has been particularly popular among sports psychologists and is cited frequently in sports psychology literature. Since the model was based upon a very different subject population, its relevance to the post-injury responses of competitive athletes has been questioned. This study evaluated the relevance of the model to the post-injury responses of competitive athletes. An existing database was utilised; the sample consisted of athletes (N=21) who, through injury, could not participate in sport for a minimum duration of two months. The sample represented various ethnic groups, with ages ranging from 12 to 35 years. Participation levels ranged from provincial to international. Through qualitative analysis, post-injury responses most similar to Kübler-Ross’s (1969) grief responses were identified. Results indicate the frequent existence of post-injury responses similar to the grief responses proposed by Kübler-Ross (1969), with the exception of the bargaining response. The model also proved
to be relevant in the identification of underlying tendencies occurring during the post-injury rehabilitation period.

Key words: Kübler-Ross; Post-injury responses; Sport injuries; Professional athletes; Grief stage model