The role of compassion in moral injury among military veterans: implications for treatment
The role of compassion in moral injury among military veterans: implications for treatment
Objectives: the study investigated the relationship between psychological distress, alcohol use, the three fears of compassion (i.e., to self, from others, and to others), facilitators and inhibitors of compassion (self-reassurance, shame, and self-criticizing), and the three flows of compassion (to self, to others, and from others) on moral injury (MI) in military veterans.
Method: a total of 127 participants (81.9% male, Mage = 51.24, SD = 13.98) completed measures of MI, psychological distress, alcohol use, shame, fears of compassion, self-criticizing and self-reassurance, and the three flows of compassion. Bivariate correlations and a hierarchical multiple regression were conducted to determine relationships between psychological distress, alcohol use, and the facets of compassion and MI, and whether psychological distress, alcohol use, and the facets of compassion predicted MI among veterans.
Results: demographic variables of younger age and lower rank alongside psychological distress, alcohol use, and the facets of compassion were all significantly related to MI in veterans. Age, rank, psychological distress, alcohol use, and the facets of compassion did not predict MI in veterans. However, shame was found to be the biggest predictor of MI in veterans, followed by lower rank.
Conclusion: the study supports prior research indicating MI as a shame-based presentation with younger age and lower rank posing as risk factors for MI in veterans. Additionally, the findings indicate strong relationships between the facets of compassion and MI in veterans, highlighting the potential clinical utility of including compassion within MI-based interventions.
compassion, military, moral injury, shame, veterans
Morgan, Leanne
7913fdb3-e2e6-42f2-92ab-4b97094a8d79
Beattie, David
6347c24b-5f97-4b9c-8432-8098707cd0fe
Irons, Chris
bc460f5f-232a-4580-bf71-1abbe885e49b
Ononaiye, Margarita
494d4a0d-a1f8-431a-8316-d97d5d0b600b
15 January 2024
Morgan, Leanne
7913fdb3-e2e6-42f2-92ab-4b97094a8d79
Beattie, David
6347c24b-5f97-4b9c-8432-8098707cd0fe
Irons, Chris
bc460f5f-232a-4580-bf71-1abbe885e49b
Ononaiye, Margarita
494d4a0d-a1f8-431a-8316-d97d5d0b600b
Morgan, Leanne, Beattie, David, Irons, Chris and Ononaiye, Margarita
(2024)
The role of compassion in moral injury among military veterans: implications for treatment.
Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy.
(doi:10.1037/tra0001646).
Abstract
Objectives: the study investigated the relationship between psychological distress, alcohol use, the three fears of compassion (i.e., to self, from others, and to others), facilitators and inhibitors of compassion (self-reassurance, shame, and self-criticizing), and the three flows of compassion (to self, to others, and from others) on moral injury (MI) in military veterans.
Method: a total of 127 participants (81.9% male, Mage = 51.24, SD = 13.98) completed measures of MI, psychological distress, alcohol use, shame, fears of compassion, self-criticizing and self-reassurance, and the three flows of compassion. Bivariate correlations and a hierarchical multiple regression were conducted to determine relationships between psychological distress, alcohol use, and the facets of compassion and MI, and whether psychological distress, alcohol use, and the facets of compassion predicted MI among veterans.
Results: demographic variables of younger age and lower rank alongside psychological distress, alcohol use, and the facets of compassion were all significantly related to MI in veterans. Age, rank, psychological distress, alcohol use, and the facets of compassion did not predict MI in veterans. However, shame was found to be the biggest predictor of MI in veterans, followed by lower rank.
Conclusion: the study supports prior research indicating MI as a shame-based presentation with younger age and lower rank posing as risk factors for MI in veterans. Additionally, the findings indicate strong relationships between the facets of compassion and MI in veterans, highlighting the potential clinical utility of including compassion within MI-based interventions.
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Published date: 15 January 2024
Keywords:
compassion, military, moral injury, shame, veterans
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 491918
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/491918
ISSN: 1942-9681
PURE UUID: ab34cb9f-25e9-4935-b5c5-84f2c5e70f25
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Date deposited: 08 Jul 2024 16:33
Last modified: 12 Jul 2024 17:27
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Author:
Leanne Morgan
Author:
David Beattie
Author:
Chris Irons
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