Addressing Moral Injury from a Spiritually Integrated View

Abstract

Since Shay (1994) proposed the concept of moral injury after working with U.S. combat veterans from the Vietnam war, researchers have looked to define, understand, and treat moral injury in many different populations. Individuals who suffer from moral injury tend to experience deep shame, guilt, and a sense of de-moralization. Combat veterans with moral injury are also at higher risk of experiencing PTSD symptoms and experience more difficulty in attaining positive treatment outcomes. The psychological literature consistently shows that these individuals often experience spiritual and religious struggles in their lives as a consequence of moral injury. Given the high number of religious individuals in the U.S. military and veteran population, this dissertation looks to examine moral injury from the tradition of the Catholic/Christian view of the person. This dissertation proposes that the Catholic/Christian vision of the person can add insight into the understanding and treatment of moral injury. Specifically, this dissertation will explore ways that integrating the Catholic/Christian view of the person can add a strategy for treatment that aims to help those who suffer from moral injury to heal in a way that is re-moralizing and that provides opportunities to connect with transcendent goals.