Coping and Adaptation for Recovery From Moral Injury: A Group Intervention for Clinical Psychology Residents

Moral distress may arise when health care professionals are unable to act in accordance with their professional values or believe that they have participated in, witnessed, or been unable to prevent situations that conflict with those values. Repeated or particularly difficult experiences may affect emotional well-being, professional identity, and the meaning associated with clinical work. This single-group pilot study will evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of Coping and Adaptation for Recovery from Moral Injury (CARE-MI), a four-session group intervention for clinical psychology residents in Spain. Each 90-minute session addresses one of four components: moral awareness, emotional flexibility, moral repair, and professional flourishing. The program is designed to help participants recognize morally difficult experiences, respond more flexibly to associated thoughts and emotions, review responsibility in a fair and contextualized way, and protect the values and resources needed for professional practice. Participants will complete assessments before and after the intervention. Changes in moral distress and psychological well-being will be examined, together with indicators of intervention feasibility and acceptability.