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A Qualitative Examination of VA Chaplains’ Understandings and Interventions Related to Moral Injury in Military Veterans

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Abstract

This study examines VA chaplains’ understandings of moral injury (MI) and preferred intervention strategies. Drawing qualitative responses with a nationally-representative sample, content analyses indicated that chaplains’ definitions of MI comprised three higher order clusters: (1) MI events, (2) mechanisms in development of MI, and (3) warning signs of MI. Similarly, chaplains’ intervention foci could be grouped into three categories: (1) pastoral/therapeutic presence, (2) implementing specific interventions, and (3) therapeutic processes to promote moral repair. Findings are discussed related to emerging conceptualizations of MI, efforts to adapt existing evidence-based interventions to better address MI, and the potential benefits of better integrating chaplains into VA mental health service delivery.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Center for PTSD, Dissemination and Training Division, VA Palo Alto Health Care System (MAILSTOP - NCPTSD-334), 795 Willow Rd., Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA

    Kent D. Drescher

  2. Psychology Department, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, USA

    Joseph M. Currier, Wesley McCormick, Timothy D. Carroll & Brook M. Sims

  3. Mental Health and Chaplaincy Program, Department of Veterans Affairs, Education and Clinical Center, Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Durham, NC, USA

    Jason A. Nieuwsma

  4. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical School, Durham, NC, USA

    Jason A. Nieuwsma

  5. Jonathan M. Wainwright Memorial VA Medical Center, Walla Walla, WA, USA

    Christine Cauterucio

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  1. Kent D. Drescher
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  2. Joseph M. Currier
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  7. Christine Cauterucio
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Correspondence to Kent D. Drescher.

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Drescher, K.D., Currier, J.M., Nieuwsma, J.A. et al. A Qualitative Examination of VA Chaplains’ Understandings and Interventions Related to Moral Injury in Military Veterans. J Relig Health 57, 2444–2460 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-018-0682-3

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