Author Type

Graduate Student

Date of Award

Summer 7-7-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Publication Status

Version of Record

Submission Date

July 2026

Department

Counselor Education

College Granting Degree

College of Education

Department Granting Degree

Counselor Education

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Carman Gill

Abstract

This study examined the moderating roles of religious coping and belonging in the relationship between moral injury and psychological distress, among Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reservist soldiers. This study investigated whether religious coping predicted moral injury, depression, anxiety, and stress, and examined whether religious coping and belonging moderated the relationship between moral injury and psychological distress. Exposure to potentially morally injurious events during military service is associated with increased risk for adverse mental health effects, particularly in times of prolonged conflict. Research on protective factors that mitigate these outcomes remains limited. Pointed by religious coping and belongingness frameworks, this study employed a quantitative correlational design to examine a sample of 117 IDF reservists. Participants completed 4 instruments to specifically measure religious coping (Jewish Religious Coping Scale- JCOPE) (Rosmarin et al., 2009), moral injury (Moral Injury Distress Scale- MIDS) (Norman et al., 2024, psychological distress (Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21- DASS-21) (Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995), and belongingness (General Belongingness Scale- GBS) (Malone et al., 2012). Multiple regression and moderation analyses were conducted to evaluate predictive and interaction effects. It was hypothesized that religious coping and belonging would significantly predict psychological distress and moderate the relationship between moral injury and mental health outcomes. The results indicated that higher levels of moral injury were associated with greater psychological distress. Negative religious coping is a predictor of moral injury and psychological distress, while positive religious coping did not significantly predict moral injury or psychological distress. Negative religious coping moderated the relationship between moral injury and depression and anxiety, suggesting that negative religious coping intensified psychological distress among the participants who reported experiencing moral injury. Positive religious coping did not moderate these relationships. Belonging moderated the relationships between moral injury and psychological distress, indicating that belonging reduces the risk of psychological distress. The findings of this study contribute to understanding factors influencing mental health and inform culturally responsive counseling interventions for military populations.

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