Expanding Collaborative Moral Injury Research : Reflection on Moral, Contextual, Social, and Psychospiritual Models

Purpose of Review

Moral injury has garnered increased empirical and societal interest in the past fifteen years. We sought to conduct a multidisciplinary examination of several developmental, contextual, and relational models of moral injury to better inform professional research and practice.

Findings

There are numerous models of moral injury with theoretical and empirical merit. Keeping intervention design grounded in elements of contextual, relational, moral, and psychospiritual developmental theory will be crucial for moral injury interventions to remain relevant. Further bench and applied research is indicated to better understand and develop a holistic understanding of moral injury.

Summary

Broad and diverse theories have been developed to explain experiences of potentially morally injurious events (PMIEs) and sequalae of negative thoughts and beliefs that follow them. Efforts to care for individuals at the intersection of PMIE and trauma exposure needs to remain grounded in interdisciplinary collaboration and multiple theoretical constructs.