Citation

Litz BT, Stein NR, Delaney E, Lebowitz L, Nash WP, Silva C, Maguen S. Clin. Psychol. Rev. 2009; 29(8): 695-706.

Affiliation

National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System, United States. brett.litz@va.gov

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.cpr.2009.07.003

PMID

19683376

Abstract

Throughout history, warriors have been confronted with moral and ethical challenges and modern unconventional and guerilla wars amplify these challenges. Potentially morally injurious events, such as perpetrating, failing to prevent, or bearing witness to acts that transgress deeply held moral beliefs and expectations may be deleterious in the long-term, emotionally, psychologically, behaviorally, spiritually, and socially (what we label as moral injury). Although there has been some research on the consequences of unnecessary acts of violence in war zones, the lasting impact of morally injurious experience in war remains chiefly unaddressed. To stimulate a critical examination of moral injury, we review the available literature, define terms, and offer a working conceptual framework and a set of intervention strategies designed to repair moral injury.

Language: en