Moral injury has been classically defined as “a betrayal of what’s right by someone who holds legitimate authority in a high‑stakes situation”[1] and as the “lasting psychological, biological, spiritual, behavioral, and social impact of perpetrating, failing to prevent, bearing witness to, or learning about acts that transgress deeply held moral beliefs and expectations.”[2] Definitions and applications of moral injury have proliferated since these two conceptual landmarks were developed.

Dr. Michael Yandell, Director of the Soul Repair Center, defines moral injury as despair of the world and oneself.

While early work on moral injury centered primarily on combat veterans, cases of moral injury are found in diverse fields, including healthcare, law enforcement, social services, and faith communities, as well as in communities impacted by systemic racism, economic exploitation, and other structural injustices.

[1] Shay, Jonathan. “Moral Injury.” Psychoanalytic Psychology 31, no. 2 (2014): 182–91.

[2] Brett T. Litz et al., “Moral Injury and Moral Repair in War Veterans: A Preliminary Model and Intervention Strategy,” Clinical Psychology Review 29, no. 8 (2009): 695–706.

[3] Michael S. Yandell, War and Negative Revelation : A Theoethical Reflection on Moral Injury (Lexington Books, 2022).