Co-creating a research-based e-storybook for children coping with parental moral injury: insights from affected communities and partners

This study provided an account of the affected community andpartner (stakeholders) input into the interdisciplinary co-creationprocess and preliminary testing of the suitability of a research-based e-storybook for children coping with parental moral injury.Children whose parents have trauma-related mental health difficul-ties, including moral injury, tend to misunderstand their parent’sresponses and behaviours. To date, there have been no research-based narrative resources to support these children. Our interdisci-plinary, international team of researchers, clinicians, and those withlived experience co-created a bibliotherapy storybook using moralinjury narratives. Using a mixed methods approach, a cross-sectionalonline survey of key affected communities and partners was con-ducted to explore the resources’ suitability. Preliminary findingssuggest overall suitability and that the e-storybook’s narrativesacted as a springboard to conversations about what was happeningin their families. Thus, the co-creation process is an effectiveapproach to developing targeted supports for children coping withparental moral injury.