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MCCARTHY FINAL DISSERTATION.pdf (989.35 KB)

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An Exploration of Moral Injury as Experienced by Combat Veterans

McCarthy, Marjorie M
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4771-6562
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=antioch1474746080725332

Abstract Details

2016, Psy. D., Antioch University, Antioch Santa Barbara: Clinical Psychology.
War-zone stressors among Service members can lead to adverse psychological consequences that fall outside the scope of post-traumatic stress disorder. Combat stressors can also result in moral injury. Moral injury is an emerging psychological construct. One proposed definition of moral injury is the perpetration of, failure to prevent, bearing witness to, or learning about acts that transgress deeply held moral beliefs and expectations. The current study used this proposed definition to conduct a qualitative phenomenological investigation of the lived experience of moral injury among combat Veterans of the wars in Iraq and/or Afghanistan. Eight male combat Veterans who self-identified as having the experience of moral injury as put forth in the proposed definition, were individually interviewed. Qualitative analysis was utilized to uncover themes related to morally injurious events and psychological sequela. The findings revealed support for the proposed definition of moral injury as well as six themes describing morally injurious experiences: shame, guilt, and feeling unforgivable connected to the involvement of children in war; shame, guilt, and anger for taking part in killing others; shame, guilt, anger, and feeling unforgivable when they did not speak-out regarding morally injurious events they were a part of as a group; no longer holding the same religious/spiritual beliefs; a loss of meaning in life after viewing death and a sense that they deserved to be disgraced after the way they handled the human remains of the enemy and witnessing others disgrace human remains of the enemy; and difficulty reconnecting emotionally with loved ones after their morally injurious experiences in combat. The most endorsed theme by the Veterans related to morally injurious experiences with children in war. Results suggest an important area for future research could help to define ways to prepare Service members for encountering child soldiers as well as potential ways to manage witnessing the suffering of children in war. The electronic version of the dissertation is accessible at the Ohiolink ETD center http://www.ohiolink.edu/etd.
Ronald Pilato, Psy. D. (Committee Chair)
Sharleen O'Brien, Psy. D. (Committee Co-Chair)
Capt. William P. Nash, M.D.,MC USN (Ret.) (Other)
145 p.
Armed Forces; Military Studies; Psychology
Moral Injury; Posttraumatic Stress Disorder; Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder; PTSD; Combat Veterans; Iraq; Afghanistan; War; Children; child soldiers; War; Military; Shame; Guilt; Unforgivable; Qualitative

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • McCarthy, M. M. (2016). An Exploration of Moral Injury as Experienced by Combat Veterans [Doctoral dissertation, Antioch University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=antioch1474746080725332

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • McCarthy, Marjorie. An Exploration of Moral Injury as Experienced by Combat Veterans. 2016. Antioch University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=antioch1474746080725332.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • McCarthy, Marjorie. "An Exploration of Moral Injury as Experienced by Combat Veterans." Doctoral dissertation, Antioch University, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=antioch1474746080725332

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

antioch1474746080725332
5,190
© 2016, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Antioch University and OhioLINK.