Intergenerational moral injury impacts in children of service parents: Implications for theory, policy and practice
| Thursday, May 21, 2026 |
| 10:00 AM - 10:29 AM |
Speaker
Dr Karen May
Head Of Thrfg - Mesha
Military and Emergency Services Health Australia
Intergenerational moral injury impacts in children of service parents: Implications for theory, policy and practice
Abstract Document
Background: Despite the high rates of psychological impacts and injury such as moral injury in Military and Emergency First Responder (EFR) populations internationally, there is limited research on the intergenerational impacts in children of serving parents. Objective: This presentation will report on PhD research which examined intergenerational trauma in children of service parents and evidence of transmission and impacts on children’s mental health and wellbeing.
Methods: Drawing on literature reviews and the empirical evidence of a qualitative interview study of military and EFR children aged 9-17 years, service parents with psychological injuries and co-parents, the mechanisms of intergenerational trauma were examined.
Results: This research found novel evidence of moral trauma symptoms in children and data on how this moral trauma is transmitted to children. Whether the parent’s moral trauma is trust-based or shame-based children can develop beliefs and symptoms consistent with these conditions. The social stigma of particular historical conflicts or events can also contribute to how this traumatic memory is passed from generation to generation. This study also designed and produced a program to address impacts of parental PTSD and moral trauma. It discusses how attachment theory and using the reframing of worldviews and meaning making are key elements of intervention design. Cultural competence in research and practice, including intervention design is also a key recommendation as it impacts the mechanisms of moral trauma in transmission to children.
Conclusions: Moral trauma is a form of intergenerational trauma which needs further research. This research needs to be both qualitative and quantitative, to further understand the phenomena, and also examine the prevalence, assessment and treatment in children of service parents.
Methods: Drawing on literature reviews and the empirical evidence of a qualitative interview study of military and EFR children aged 9-17 years, service parents with psychological injuries and co-parents, the mechanisms of intergenerational trauma were examined.
Results: This research found novel evidence of moral trauma symptoms in children and data on how this moral trauma is transmitted to children. Whether the parent’s moral trauma is trust-based or shame-based children can develop beliefs and symptoms consistent with these conditions. The social stigma of particular historical conflicts or events can also contribute to how this traumatic memory is passed from generation to generation. This study also designed and produced a program to address impacts of parental PTSD and moral trauma. It discusses how attachment theory and using the reframing of worldviews and meaning making are key elements of intervention design. Cultural competence in research and practice, including intervention design is also a key recommendation as it impacts the mechanisms of moral trauma in transmission to children.
Conclusions: Moral trauma is a form of intergenerational trauma which needs further research. This research needs to be both qualitative and quantitative, to further understand the phenomena, and also examine the prevalence, assessment and treatment in children of service parents.
Biography
Dr Karen May; is the Head of THRF Group -Military and Emergency Services Health Australia (MESHA).
Karen’s PhD research focused on examining the wellbeing of children of military and emergency first responder parents with PTSD and developed a wellbeing program to support children and parents. Karen also brings her lived experience, in advocating for and supporting service personnel and families. She is a member of the Veteran Health Advisory Council, Senior Lecturer at Flinders University, Adjunct Fellow at Adelaide University, and mum of two teenagers and therapy dog Leo.
Supporting the transition of The Repat Foundation to join The Hospital Research Foundation Group in 2015, she has worked to advocate for the past ten years to grow services for current and former veterans, emergency service personnel and their family members. Karen’s background is in social science, community development, public health, trauma psychotherapy and academic research. Her experience includes organizational leadership, building team capability and scalable service delivery, including lived experience framework development, peer clinical governance models, and advocacy for policy and practice.
