North Carolina EMT State Practice Exam

Which of the following is NOT one of the five stages of death and dying?

1. Denial

2. Acceptance

3. Isolation

4. Anger

The correct answer is: Isolation

The five stages of death and dying, identified by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Each stage represents a different way that individuals may cope with grief and loss. Isolation is not recognized as one of these stages, which makes it the correct response to the question. Instead, isolation might be considered a potential symptom or behavior associated with grief rather than a formal stage in the process of dying. The other choices—denial, acceptance, and anger—are indeed part of the established model used to describe the typical emotional responses to death and dying. Understanding these stages can provide insight into the emotional journey that individuals may experience when confronting their mortality or the death of a loved one.