Volume 33, Issue 4 p. 587-597
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Moral Injury and Social Well-Being: A Growth Curve Analysis

Ryan P. Chesnut

Corresponding Author

Ryan P. Chesnut

Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA

Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Ryan Chesnut, Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State, The Pennsylvania State University, 402 Marion Place, University Park, PA 16802. E-mail: rpc5108@psu.edu

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Cameron B. Richardson

Cameron B. Richardson

Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA

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Nicole R. Morgan

Nicole R. Morgan

Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA

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Julia A. Bleser

Julia A. Bleser

Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA

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Daniel F. Perkins

Daniel F. Perkins

Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA

Social Science Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA

Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology, and Education, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA

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Dawne Vogt

Dawne Vogt

Women's Health Sciences Division, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

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Laurel A. Copeland

Laurel A. Copeland

VA Central Western Massachusetts, Leeds, Massachusetts, USA

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Erin Finley

Erin Finley

Veterans Evidence-Based Research Dissemination and Implementation Center, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, Texas, USA

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First published: 13 July 2020
Citations: 11

This research was managed by the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., (HJF) and collaboratively sponsored by the Bob Woodruff Foundation; Health Net Federal Services; The Heinz Endowments; HJF; Lockheed Martin Corporation; May and Stanley Smith Charitable Trust; National Endowment for the Humanities; Northrop Grumman; Philip and Marge Odeen; Prudential; Robert R. McCormick Foundation; Rumsfeld Foundation; Schultz Family Foundation; Walmart Foundation; Wounded Warrior Project, Inc.; and the Veterans Health Administration Health Services Research and Development Service. The authors declare that no potential conflicts of interest exist.

The authors wish to thank our colleagues from The Veteran Metrics Initiative for their support of this work (Cynthia Gilman, Jackie Vendermeersch, John Boyle, Patricia Vanderwolf - http://www.hjfcp3.org/tvmi/).

Abstract

en

Moral injury (MI) may occur in the context of committing transgressions (i.e., self-directed MI reactions), witnessing transgressions, or being the victims of others’ transgressions (i.e., other-directed MI reactions) that violate an individual's moral principles. Veterans with MI may experience impaired social well-being (SWB). Studies on MI and veterans’ SWB have focused almost exclusively on social support and used cross-sectional data. The present study used growth curve analyses to examine the associations between self- and other-directed MI reactions and veterans’ levels of social support, social functioning, social activities, and social satisfaction over the first 18 to 21 months of their transition to civilian life (N = 9,566). The results demonstrated declines in all SWB outcomes, with self- and other-directed MI reactions having differential effects. Higher versus lower levels of other-directed MI reactions were related to lower baseline scores on all SWB outcomes, βs = −.06 to −.20, and steeper declines over time in social functioning, β = −.09, and social satisfaction, β = −.10. Higher versus lower levels of self-directed MI reactions were related to lower baseline levels of social functioning, β = −.07, but higher baseline levels of social activity, β = .04. Higher versus lower levels of self-directed MI reactions were related to a steeper decline in social activity over time, β = −.10. These findings present a more nuanced picture than that depicted by current MI theoretical frameworks and support further research to uncover moderators of the associations between self- and other-directed MI reactions and SWB outcomes.

Resumen

es

Spanish Abstracts by Asociación Chilena de Estrés Traumático (ACET)

Daño moral y bienestar social: un análisis de la curva de crecimiento

DAÑO MORAL Y BIENESTAR SOCIAL

El daño moral (DM) puede ocurrir en el contexto de cometer transgresiones (es decir, reacciones DM autodirigidas), presenciar transgresiones o ser víctima de transgresiones de otros (es decir, reacciones DM dirigidas por otros) que violan los principios morales de un individuo. Los veteranos con DM pueden experimentar un bienestar social (BS) deteriorado. Los estudios sobre DM y BS de veteranos se han centrado casi exclusivamente en el apoyo social y han utilizado datos transversales. El presente estudio utilizó análisis de curvas de crecimiento para examinar las asociaciones entre las reacciones de DM dirigidas por ellos mismos y por otras personas y los niveles de apoyo social, funcionamiento social, actividades sociales y satisfacción social de los veteranos durante los primeros 18 a 21 meses de su transición a la vida civil (N = 9.566). Los resultados demostraron disminuciones en todos los resultados de BS, con reacciones de DM dirigidas por uno mismo y por otros que tienen efectos diferenciales. Los niveles más altos frente a los más bajos de reacciones de DM dirigidas a otros se relacionaron con puntuaciones iniciales más bajas en todos los resultados de BS, βs = -.06 a -.20, y disminuciones más pronunciadas con el tiempo en el funcionamiento social, β = -.09 y la satisfacción social. β = -.10. Los niveles más altos frente a los más bajos de reacciones de DM autodirigidas se relacionaron con niveles de referencia más bajos de funcionamiento social, β = -.07, pero niveles de referencia más altos de actividad social, β = .04. Los niveles más altos frente a los más bajos de reacciones de DM autodirigidas se relacionaron con una disminución más pronunciada de la actividad social a lo largo del tiempo, β = -.10. Estos hallazgos presentan una imagen más matizada que la descrita por los marcos teóricos actuales de DI y respaldan la investigación adicional para descubrir moderadores de las asociaciones entre las reacciones de DM dirigidas por uno mismo y otras personas y los resultados de BS.

抽象

zh

Traditional and Simplified Chinese Abstracts by the Asian Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (AsianSTSS)

簡體及繁體中文撮要由亞洲創傷心理研究學會翻譯

Moral Injury and Social Well-Being: A Growth Curve Analysis

Traditional Chinese

標題: 道德創傷與社交健康:成長曲線分析

撮要: 進行違背個人道德原則的犯規行為)即自致的MI反應(, 或目睹這類行為, 或受害於他人的犯規行為, 便有可能產生道德創傷 (MI)。有MI的退役軍人, 其社交健康(SWB)可能會受損。過往針對MI及退役軍人SWB的研究, 幾乎全都只專注於社會支持並使用橫斷數據。本研究採用成長曲線分析, 檢視退役軍人在回到平民平活(N = 9,566)的首18至21個月期間, 自致或他人所致的MI反應跟退役軍人的社會支持、社交功能、社交活動及社會滿足感水平的關連。結果反映, 所有樣本的SWB都有所下降, 自致或他人所致的MI反應產生不同效應。高水平的他人所致MI反應, 相比低水平的, 跟所有SWB在基線的分數較低有關)βs = -.06 to -.20(, 亦跟社交功能)β = -.09(及社會滿足感)β = -.10(隨時間下降較多有關。高水平的自致MI反應, 相比低水平的, 跟社交功能在基線水平較低相關)β = -.07(, 但亦跟社交活動在基線水平較高有關)β = .04(。高水平的自致MI反應, 相比低水平的, 跟社交活動隨時間下降較多有關)β = -.10(。這些結果反映的資訊, 相比當前的MI理論框架描述的資訊更為仔細, 亦鼓勵我們作進一步研究, 找出自致及他人所致的MI反應跟SWB後果的關連間的調節變量。

Simplified Chinese

标题: 道德创伤与社交健康:成长曲线分析

撮要: 进行违背个人道德原则的犯规行为)即自致的MI反应(, 或目睹这类行为, 或受害于他人的犯规行为, 便有可能产生道德创伤 (MI)。有MI的退役军人, 其社交健康(SWB)可能会受损。过往针对MI及退役军人SWB的研究, 几乎全都只专注于社会支持并使用横断数据。本研究采用成长曲线分析, 检视退役军人在回到平民平活(N = 9,566)的首18至21个月期间, 自致或他人所致的MI反应跟退役军人的社会支持、社交功能、社交活动及社会满足感水平的关连。结果反映, 所有样本的SWB都有所下降, 自致或他人所致的MI反应产生不同效应。高水平的他人所致MI反应, 相比低水平的, 跟所有SWB在基线的分数较低有关)βs = -.06 to -.20(, 亦跟社交功能)β = -.09(及社会满足感)β = -.10(随时间下降较多有关。高水平的自致MI反应, 相比低水平的, 跟社交功能在基线水平较低相关)β = -.07(, 但亦跟社交活动在基线水平较高有关)β = .04(。高水平的自致MI反应, 相比低水平的, 跟社交活动随时间下降较多有关)β = -.10(。这些结果反映的信息, 相比当前的MI理论框架描述的信息更为仔细, 亦鼓励我们作进一步研究, 找出自致及他人所致的MI反应跟SWB后果的关连间的调节变量。

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