Schlossberg

Schlossberg Adult Career Development Transition Model

Nancy K. Schlossberg developed a model and theory about adults experiencing transition in her book Counseling Adults in Transition, co-authored by Jane Goodman and Mary Anderson.  The book was originally published in 1984 and has been republished 3 additional times, the most recent being in 2011. Schlossberg and her colleagues developed their transition model which includes three stages that are listed and described below:

1. Approaching the transition (two components)
    a. Identifying the transition
    b, The Process of going through the transition

2. Identifying how to cope with the transition

3. Strategies for taking charge of the transition

1. Approaching transitions: (identifying and going through the transition)
     a. Identifying: Schlossberg suggests there are three types of transitions:

• anticipated
• unanticipated
• nonevent transition (transition anticipated but never occurred)

     b. Going through the transition process typically follows the following phases:

• pervasive and all encompassing in clients's life
• client experiences disbelief
• client experiences sense of betrayal
• client is confused
• client is angry
• the client resolves to move on

2. Identifying how to cope depends on how the client responds to the following three factors:
     a. the situation-include variables such as the trigger, the timing, the source, the role change,
         the duration, previous similar experiences, and the stress(es) associated with the transition
     b. the self-includes personal situation (such as: socioeconomic status, culture/race/ethnicity,                    gender, age/life stage, state of personal health) and psychological state and
         sources of support (such as: ego development, personality, outlook, commitment/values)
      c. support-what types of social support does a client have (examples: intimate partner, family,                 friendships, institutional support) and how does that support function
          (examples: affect, affirm, aid, feedback)

3. Strategies: coping approaches include functions and strategies
    a. functions include controlling the situation, its meaning and the stress associated with the
       situation
    b. strategies include information seeking, direct action, and the reluctance to take action

One easy way to summarize Schlossberg and her colleagues transition theory is to remember the 4 S's of the coping theory: Self, Situation, Strategies, and Support.  A PowerPoint Presentation providing an overview of Schlossberg's 4 S's can be found here:
http://www.slideshare.net/KeciaMcManusEdD/transition-theory-4-s-2013