@article{ref1,
title="Predictors of moral injury in UK treatment seeking veterans",
journal="Child abuse and neglect",
year="2020",
author="Williamson, Victoria and Greenberg, Neil and Murphy, Dominic",
volume="112",
number="",
pages="e104889-e104889",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Moral injury is known to be associated with mental health difficulties  in US military populations, however its impact on wellbeing in a UK Armed Forces  (AF) context is less well understood. Additionally, it is not clear whether other  factors known to affect service personnel's mental health, such as adverse childhood  experiences (ACEs) or military trauma, may influence whether personnel experience  moral injury. <br><br>AIM: To examine the relationship between moral injury and ACEs,  adverse military events as well as the impact of moral injury on the mental health  of UK AF veterans. <br><br>METHOD: A nationally representative sample of UK AF veterans  seeking psychological treatment (n = 177) were recruited. Participants completed  self-report psychometric measures and expressions of moral injury, ACEs and  traumatic in-service events. <br><br>RESULTS: Analyses yielded a significant association  between ACEs and veteran expressions of moral injury (p <.001). A significant  although weak relationship was found between veteran expressions of moral injury and  experiencing adverse events during military service, including physical abuse (AOR  1.04; 95 % CI 1.02-1.06) and emotional abuse (AOR 1.03; 1.01-1.05). Those meeting  criteria for mental health disorders, including probable posttraumatic stress  disorder (AOR 1.09; 95 % CI 1.05-1.12), were significantly more likely to report  expressions of moral injury. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: These results illustrate the relationship  between traumatic life events, including childhood adversity, and experiencing moral  injury in UK AF veterans. The findings underscore the need for a validated  measurement tool appropriate for the UK AF to better understand the impact of moral  injury on wellbeing and to ensure that appropriate treatment can be given to those  identified as suffering post-trauma.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0145-2134",
doi="10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104889",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104889"
}