Exploring Moral Injury and Reintegration Challenges Among Post-9/11 U.S. Veterans: A Qualitative Study

Military Veterans face many barriers when reintegrating into civilian society. A growing body of evidence shows that Veterans may experience identity confusion, social isolation, and moral pain during Veteran reintegration. These issues might compound with exposure to traumatic events, leading to the development of moral injury (MI). This study utilizes an exploratory, qualitative approach to look at the relationship between MI and Veteran reintegration to better understand their impact on each other. Twelve Veterans who endorsed experiences of MI completed a cognitive interview utilizing two existing measures of MI. MI and Veteran reintegration appeared to have a dynamic relationship that significantly impacted Veteran's experiences of moral emotions, their ability to trust others, disclose potentially morally injurious experiences, and make meaning of their service. Mental health practitioners may need to be especially attuned to and assess for MI in reintegrating Veterans, particularly as onset of MI may occur during reintegration as Veterans reflect on their military experiences and come to new moral conclusions. Clinicians and researchers must also foster a significant degree of trust to facilitate disclosure of potentially morally injurious experiences (PMIEs).