OBJECTIVE: This study examines the associations among moral injury (MI), heroic self-representation (HER), and proactive coping (ProCop) in relation to posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) among civilians exposed to national trauma. METHOD: = 14.82) completed self-report measures across two survey waves. In Wave 1, participants provided background information and completed measures of MI components. In Wave 2, participants completed measures assessing PTSS, HER, and ProCop. RESULTS: < .001); other MI components showed weaker or nonsignificant associations. Furthermore, ProCop moderated the association between HER and PTSS, such that higher levels of ProCop attenuated this association. CONCLUSIONS: This research advances the understanding of PTSS by demonstrating its complex associations with MI, heroic identity, and ProCop. In addition, this study extends the relevance of MI beyond the context of military personnel and direct victimization to civilians experiencing indirect national trauma. Clinically, the findings support targeting maladaptive self-blame and strengthening ProCop, particularly among individuals with elevated HER. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
Cohen‐Louck et al. (2026) studied this question.