Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 19, 2026

Polar Histogram Visualization of Acute Stress Disorder Scale Scores for Comprehensive Clinical Assessment
Published on: December 6, 2024
Posttraumatic stress symptoms in the aftermath of national trauma: Moral injury, self-representation as hero, and
Keren Cohen-Louck1, Inna Levy1, Vered Ne'eman-Haviv1
1Department of Criminology, Ariel University.
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:
We used a mixed longitudinal and cross-sectional design to survey Israeli citizens primarily indirectly exposed to the October 7 Hamas attack. Participants (N = 589; 55.3% males, Mage = 42.26, SD = 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:
Hierarchical multiple regression indicated that the proposed model explained 40% of the variance in PTSS. PTSS were positively associated with MI self-blame (β = .29, p < .001) and HER (β = .25, p < .001) and negatively associated with ProCop (β = -.19, p < .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).
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Symptoms and Behavioral Manifestations
A spectrum of distressing symptoms characterizes PTSD. Recurrent flashbacks, where individuals involuntarily relive traumatic events, are a...
Introduction to Stress and Lifestyle
Psychological Responses to Stress
Coping Strategies: Emotion Focused
Traumatic Memory
Coping Strategies: Problem Focused
For example, consider a student who struggles to understand their...

