Walking Forwards with Moral Injury: Narratives from Ex-serving Australian Defence Force Members

Title
Walking Forwards with Moral Injury: Narratives from Ex-serving Australian Defence Force Members
Publication Date
2021
Author(s)
Jamieson, Nikki
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3410-4599
Email: njamies4@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:njamies4
Usher, Kim
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9686-5003
Email: kusher@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:kusher
Ratnarajah, Dorothy
Maple, Myfanwy
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9398-4886
Email: mmaple2@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:mmaple2
Type of document
Journal Article
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
VT Publishing
Place of publication
United States of America
DOI
10.21061/jvs.v7i1.214
UNE publication id
une:1959.11/31909
Abstract

Military personnel can be exposed to events such as killing or human suffering that can breach or violate their core moral frameworks. The breaching or violation of one's core moral framework can create moral trauma-often termed "moral injury." Moral injury has gained increased attention during the last decade due to its links to military suicide. The core characteristics of moral injury have not yet reached a universal consensus but can include deep feelings of shame, guilt, distrust, anger, and self-condemnation. Few studies have focused on moral injury in Australia. This paper is one of several published from a larger PhD study. The purpose of this paper is to understand participants' experiences of moral injury. Analysis of the data revealed the overarching theme-walking forwards with moral injury-describing participants' experiences of living with a moral injury and how they navigated and made meaning of their experience. From this overarching theme, three sub-themes emerged: (a) meaning-making and moral injury, (b) narratives of transformation, and (c) leading the charge. The study found that to continue "walking forwards" a transformation of identity was needed. The transformation happened when an understanding of the meaning underpinning identity occurred, and when validation and reconciliation of the experience were achieved. These findings enhance knowledge of the mechanisms needed to better support veterans living with moral injury in Australia. Outcomes from this work may assist clinicians or those working with military veterans in providing more appropriate care to those experiencing moral injury.

Link
Citation
Journal of Veterans Studies, 7(1), p. 174-185
ISSN
2470-4768
Start page
174
End page
185
Rights
Attribution 4.0 International

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