Exiting the Suffering Cycle: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Approach to Address Moral Injury in U.S. Special Operations Servicemembers and Veterans

Date of Award

Summer 8-23-2025

Document Type

Doctoral Research Paper

Degree Name

Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology

Organizational Unit

Graduate School of Professional Psychology

First Advisor

Kathryn Barrs

Second Advisor

Shelly Smith-Acuña

Third Advisor

Joshua Boswell

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

All Rights Reserved
All Rights Reserved.

Keywords

Moral injury, Military psychology, Acceptance and commitment therapy

Abstract

The U.S. military’s Special Operations Forces (SOF) are among the most talented and resilient unconventional warfare capabilities in the world, selected and developed for their unique tenacity ,natural drive towards leadership, skill, teamwork, and adaptability. Since 9/11, these units have led countless missions to erode terrorist networks and protect U.S. interests. Despite their culture of values and their ability to survive and thrive in harsh environments, since the mid-2010s, the SOF community has experienced numerous setbacks by way of scandals, drug use, immoral and illegal combat operations, including targeting of civilians, and alarming rates of suicide. These setbacks set in motion the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM)’s strategy to preserve the force and examine the root causes of degrading force readiness and resiliency. This paper explores the unique character traits of SOF individuals and culture, how these traits can be multipliers for combat but also how they can be self-sabotaging when dealing with psychological injury, such as moral injury (MI), and offers a unique theoretical framework for clinicians working with SOF. This approach integrates Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to address the cyclical suffering and moral interpersonal struggles associated with MI. It proposes potential risk factors present in SOF that can perpetuate avoidance of psychological and emotional pain, and ways clinicians may conceptualize this ACT treatment approach to offer the best culturally informed care for SOF. Ultimately, the approach offers recommendations for future research, clinical applications of this cyclical ACT model for MI, and calls for future research related to this approach.

Copyright Date

7-14-2025

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. Permanently suppressed.

Rights Holder

Ryan M. Steadman

Provenance

Received from author

File Format

application/pdf

Language

English (eng)

Extent

87 pgs

File Size

1.2 MB

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