Citation (IEEE): J. Shay, “Moral Injury,” Psychoanalytic Psychology, vol. 31, no. 2, pp. 182–191, 2014. doi: 10.1037/a0036090.
What it argues
Drawing on decades of work with combat veterans, Shay defines moral injury as harm arising from a betrayal of what is right, by someone holding legitimate authority, in a high-stakes situation. He contrasts it with a later definition that centers on the person’s own violation of their moral code, describes how it destroys the capacity for trust, and argues that good leadership and cohesive units are protective.