Moral injury: Spouses as catalysts for well-being

Moral injury is a relatively new concept, recognized within the last two decades, that addresses wounds to morality related to experiencing violent acts during military combat (Shay, 1994). Spouses are well-positioned to be engaged and empathetic when physical and psychological injuries are sustained in wartime and these same beneficial understandings may assist when moral injury is incurred. Since morals are often developed within religious traditions or spiritual practices taught within families, we argue that spouses have great potential to be catalysts for their soldier’s moral and spiritual healing/strengthening upon their return home from war (Fontana & Rosenheck, 2004).
Reference:
Westmoreland, A. & Okhotnikov, I. A. (2017, November). Moral injury: Spouses in Military Families as Catalysts for Well-Being. Poster presented at the 2017 National Council on Family Relations Annual Conference. Orlando, FL, U.S.A.