The interrelationships between moral attitudes, posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and mixed lateral preference in Israeli reserve combat troops

Abstract

Combat soldiers often encounter moral dilemmas during operational deployment, especially when an armed engagement is situated within a civilian setting. The study of moral dilemmas and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has mostly focused on the impact of war atrocities and moral injury. However, the relationship between moral attitudes and different combat-related pathologies has not been thoroughly addressed by quantitative studies. We aimed to assess the relationship between combatant's moral attitudes, severity of PTSD symptoms and mixed lateral preference. Data on moral objection, PTSD severity and lateral preference were collected in a right-handed non-pathologic sample (n = 147) of reserve combat troops in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Nearly one-fifth (19.7%) of the reserve personnel who served in the occupied territories have reported high moral objection to the commands they were expected to act upon. This group of participants exhibited more PTSD symptoms and higher levels of mixed lateral preference. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed a mediating role of moral objection in the relationship between PTSD symptoms severity and lateral preference. Our findings suggest that moral objection has significant implications on combatant's psychological and organic well-being. The findings highlight the need to include moral attitudes in research and clinical practice among combat personnel and veterans.