Exploring the relationship between adverse childhood experiences, moral injury and social support in a clinical sample of UK military veterans

IF 1.9 Q3 PSYCHIATRY

European Journal of Trauma & Dissociation Pub Date : 2026-03-01 Epub Date: 2025-12-02 DOI:10.1016/j.ejtd.2025.100623

Marina Beckwith , David Turgoose , Gary Latchford , Dominic Murphy

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Increased exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) is noted amongst military veterans, who also face unique occupational stressors during military service. Veterans are at increased risk of exposure to potentially morally injurious experiences (PMIE) and Moral Injury.

Objective

To explore the relationship between ACEs and Moral Injury in a sample of UK treatment-seeking veterans.

Participants and Setting

428 treatment-seeking veterans who accessed veterans’ mental health charity Combat Stress between 2019–2020 completed a patient experience survey.

Methods

A secondary analysis of cross-sectional survey data previously collected by Combat Stress explored the relationship between ACEs and Moral Injury using linear regression analysis. Further correlational analysis explored associations between ACEs, Moral Injury and social support.

Results

The majority of respondents experienced at least one ACE (74.6 %), with 35 % classed as high risk (4+ ACEs). Over half (57.1 %) reported exposure to a PMIE. ACEs were associated with Moral Injury (r[239] = 0.207, p<.001), with Personal Abuse ACEs explaining 4.4 % of the variance in Moral Injury scores (F(1239) = 11.086, p = .001, 95 % CI [29.30, 33.35]). 72.2 % of respondents reported low perceived social support, with social support being negatively correlated with both ACEs and Moral Injury.

Conclusions

ACEs may be a vulnerability factor increasing the risk of Moral Injury following experience of PMIEs during military service.

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在英国退伍军人的临床样本中探索不良童年经历、道德伤害和社会支持之间的关系

在退伍军人中，不良童年经历（ace）暴露的增加被注意到，他们在服役期间也面临着独特的职业压力源。退伍军人面临潜在道德伤害经历（PMIE）和道德伤害的风险增加。目的探讨在英国寻求治疗的退伍军人中ace与道德伤害的关系。参与者和Setting428名寻求治疗的退伍军人在2019-2020年期间访问了退伍军人心理健康慈善机构“战斗压力”，完成了一项患者体验调查。方法对《战斗压力》杂志收集的横断面调查数据进行二次分析，采用线性回归分析方法探讨ace与道德伤害之间的关系。进一步的相关分析探讨了不良经历、道德伤害和社会支持之间的关系。结果大多数受访者至少经历过一次ACE(74.6%)，其中35%为高风险（4+ ACE）。超过一半（57.1%）报告暴露于PMIE。不良经历与道德伤害相关（r[239] = 0.207, p<.001），个人虐待不良经历解释了道德伤害分数方差的4.4% （F(1239) = 11.086, p = .001, 95% CI[29.30, 33.35]）。72.2%的受访者认为社会支持度低，社会支持度与ace和道德伤害均呈负相关。结论sace可能是增加服兵役后精神创伤风险的脆弱因素。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

European Journal of Trauma & Dissociation Multiple-

CiteScore

2.40

自引率

4.80%

发文量