Morally injurious combat events as an indirect risk factor for postconcussive symptoms among veterans: The mediating role of posttraumatic stress

Autor: Adam R. Kinney, Holly R. Gerber, Trisha A. Hostetter, Lisa A. Brenner, Jeri E. Forster, Ryan O. Stephenson
Rok vydání: 2023
Předmět:
Zdroj: Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. 15:144-152
ISSN: 1942-969X
1942-9681
Popis: Psychosocial factors, including combat-related distress (e.g., posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD]), contribute to postconcussive symptoms (PCS) among veterans with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). However, research on risk factors for PCS has focused solely on life-threatening combat experiences, neglecting the morally injurious dimension of combat-related trauma and associated implications for treatment. Morally injurious events (MIEs) are associated with PTSD symptoms among veterans, a robust risk factor of PCS. Nonetheless, the interplay between MIEs, PTSD symptoms, and PCS remains poorly understood. We sought to investigate MIEs as an indirect risk factor for PCS among Veterans with mTBI.This cross-sectional study of 145 veterans with mTBI used path analysis to investigate whether PTSD symptoms mediated the relationship between MIEs (transgressions and betrayals) and PCS (mood-behavioral, vestibular-sensory, and cognitive domains) among 145 veterans with mTBI. We used the Moral Injury Event Scale, PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version, and Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory to measure MIEs, PTSD, and PCS, respectively.Perceived transgressions were indirectly associated with mood-behavioral (β = .21,Findings offer preliminary support for responses to MIEs being a modifiable risk factor for PCS among veterans. Interventions designed to foster veterans' recovery by targeting the unique emotions and beliefs associated with MIEs may be indicated. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).
Databáze: OpenAIRE