Associations between moral injury, PTSD clusters, and depression among Israeli veterans: a network approach.
Yossi Levi-BelzTalya GreeneGadi ZerachPublished in: European journal of psychotraumatology (2020)
Background: Moral Injury (MI) is one of the adverse consequences of combat. Following exposure to potentially morally injurious events (PMIEs)--events perceived as violations of deep moral beliefs by oneself or trusted individuals--a significant minority of veterans could develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Objective: The current study represents the first attempt to apply a network analysis model to examine an exploratory empirical conceptualization of a network of PMIEs during military service, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom clusters, depression, and combat exposure among Israel Defence Forces veterans. Method: A volunteer sample of 191 Israeli combat veterans were recruited during 2017, and completed validated self-report questionnaires tapping PMIEs, PTSD, and depression in a cross-sectional design study. A regularized Gaussian graphical model was estimated. Results: Network analysis revealed strong bridge associations between the PTSD nodes and most of the PMIEs nodes. The nodes of PMIE-betrayal and PTSD negative alterations in cognitions and mood (NACM) symptom cluster were found to have a bridging function between other PMIEs and PTSD. Depression was found to be connected to most of the PMIEs and PTSD nodes. Conclusions: The study's findings offer an overview of the complex relationships between PMIEs and PTSD clusters among Israeli veterans. PMIEs--notably, betrayal-based experiences--are related to PTSD clusters directly and through depressive symptoms. Some possible mechanisms for the links between PMIEs and PTSD and the clinical implications related to specific interventions are discussed.