A Combined Approach to Understanding Grief: Integration of the Two-Track Model of Bereavement (TTMB) and the Dual...

The Two-Track Model of Bereavement (TTMB) and the Dual Process Model of Coping with Bereavement (DPM) are two central models in the field of thanatology, offering theoretical frameworks for understanding how individuals cope with loss. While the two models share several fundamental principles - most notably the conceptualization of grief as a bidimensional process involving the interplay between mourning and functional adaptation to life after loss - they differ in their components, underlying theoretical assumptions, and clinical emphases, yielding complementary strengths that together can enhance the theoretical underpinnings of the field. Despite the intuitive and compelling rationale for integrating the two, a coherent and structured framework that systematically combines their unique contributions into a unified therapeutic approach has not yet been fully articulated. Developing such a framework will enrich both theoretical and clinical discourse and support a more flexible, sensitive, and tailored response to the multifaceted nature of grief - particularly in cases involving complications such as prolonged grief disorder. Accordingly, the aim of this article is to propose a combined approach to understanding grief, grounded in a synthesis of the TTMB and the DPM. The article presents the theoretical foundations and key characteristics of each model, followed by a comparative analysis of their core components, highlighting gaps in the literature and the potential benefits of their integration. The proposed combined approach is then described and illustrated through a clinical case study. Finally, we discuss the potential contribution of the combined approach to the conceptual, empirical, and clinical advancement of thanatology.