Benefits of Moral Elevation in Veterans with PTSD and Moral Injury: A Proposed Theoretical Framework and Pilot Study

Abstract

Given the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and moral injury in veterans and limitations to current treatments, novel approaches are needed to target both PTSD and moral injury and directly impact psychosocial growth. One potential way to address this need is through moral elevation—a positive emotional state described as feeling uplifted and inspired by others’ virtuous actions. This article proposes a theoretical framework for understanding how elevation could benefit veterans and presents preliminary findings from a pilot study, which provides the first known indication that elevation could be linked with psychological health and social functioning in veterans with significant trauma-related distress.

Keywords:

• Moral elevation
• PTSD
• moral injury
• social functioning
• pilot study
• group treatment

Acknowledgments

This material is the result of work with resources and the use of facilities at the G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery Veterans Affairs Medical Center and is supported by the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Academic Affiliations Advanced Fellowship Program in Mental Illness Research and Treatment, the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, and the VISN 17 Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States Government.

Declarations of interest

None.

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.