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Mental Health Clinician / Chaplain Collaboration

Mental Health Clinician / Chaplain Collaboration (MC3): A Pilot Study

Who can join

Ages 18 to 80 · All sexes

Inclusion Criteria:

* age 18 to 80 years
* plan to follow-up with a VA mental health clinician for PTSD or SUD treatment within the next three months (therefore allowing for collaboration)
* positive screen using the 6-item Moral Injury Distress Scale (MIDS) screener. A positive MIDS screen will be defined as being bothered at least moderately by exposure to at least one potentially morally injurious event (witnessing, omission, commission).

Exclusion Criteria:

* diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, or severe neurocognitive disorder (e.g., dementia, severe TBI). Veterans with borderline personality disorder will be eligible for participation in this study following DBT completion.
* Planning to start or current participation in a moral injury treatment group or evidence-based psychotherapy (e.g., Prolonged Exposure or Cognitive Processing Therapy).

About the study

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if the intervention can be delivered by VA chaplains and if it is acceptable for veterans who have symptoms of moral injury (guilt, shame, isolation) and are receiving VA mental health treatment. The main questions it aims to answer are:

Can the study team enroll veterans for this intervention and complete data collection? Will veterans complete the intervention?

There is no comparison group.

Participants will will complete a baseline and 6-month interview and participate in up to 12 intervention sessions with a VA chaplain. The intervention will focus on facilitating forgiveness and community connection.

What is being tested

• facilitate forgiveness and community connection to address symptoms of moral injury (behavioral)

Sponsor: Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System · Participants: 20 · Started: Apr 14, 2025

Contact the study team

• Jeff M Pyne, MD · Phone: 501-442-6019

Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT07579143

Locations in the U.S.

Conditions

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 30, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.