The wound isn’t in the battlefield decision—it’s in how we process it through our moral lens. New research confirms what many veterans intuitively understand: moral injury’s impact isn’t determined by the event itself, but by how the individual interprets that event against their own moral framework.
The latest research identifies six distinct domains where these interpretations manifest:
1️⃣ Self-Perception: How we view ourselves after difficult decisions
2️⃣ Moral Thinking: Changes to our ethical compass
3️⃣ Social Relationships: Our connections with others
4️⃣ Self-Harm: Destructive behaviors that follow
5️⃣ Moral Emotions: Guilt, shame, and anger that persist
6️⃣ Beliefs: Fundamental shifts in how we view the world
Understanding these domains allows us to develop targeted interventions that address the true complexity of moral injury—not just treating symptoms, but rebuilding the frameworks that give meaning to service.
