Thriving in the Midst of Moral Pain: The Acceptability and Feasibility of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Moral Injury (ACT-MI) Among Warzone Veterans
Moral Injury
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Moral Injury focused on measuring Psychosocial Rehabilitation, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Eligible for VHA care
- Has been deployed to a warzone
- Has experienced a morally injurious event which continues to interfere with functioning
- Willing to be randomized and participate in either of the two conditions
Exclusion Criteria:
- Inability to provide informed consent
Inability to complete study measures, e.g.:
- due to significant acute intoxication/withdrawal symptoms
- mania
- psychosis
- aggression
- catatonia
- cognitive impairment
- Imminent suicide risk
Membership in a vulnerable population, e.g.:
- pregnant women
- History of significant violence towards VA staff
- Participation in another psychotherapy research study
- Current participation in an EBP for a condition related to moral injury
Sites / Locations
- Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center, Aurora, CORecruiting
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Experimental
Active Comparator
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Moral Injury (ACT-MI)
Present Centered Therapy
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Moral Injury (ACT-MI) is a novel treatment protocol detailing the application of ACT for recovery from moral injury. ACT-MI is designed to help Veterans learn to interact differently with moral emotions and engage meaningfully in their lives. The intervention is group-based and spans twelve, 90-minute sessions. The current ACT-MI protocol was developed through an iterative process in which authors generated and refined the intervention based on clinical interactions with Veterans currently reporting moral injury.
Present Centered Therapy (PCT) will include 12 group sessions, but will focus on problem solving daily life difficulties related to moral injury rather than the experiential focus on moral emotions presented in ACT-MI. Because PCT has been established as an evidence-based active control condition, it is likely to serve as a beneficial transdiagnostic intervention in its own right. PCT could provide another treatment option that might be preferable to some Veterans and promote patient choice. Additionally, PCT would require less clinician training and specialization than ACT-MI. Using PCT as an active comparison condition will determine whether it is necessary to train clinicians in ACT-MI or if therapists with exposure to supportive problem-solving therapy approaches can lead a group that impacts functioning among Veterans reporting moral injury-related distress.