Working With Veterans and Military Families: An Assessment of Professional Competencies

Abstract: Despite decades of articles urging for greater attention to professional competence in the field of psychology, few empirical studies have examined what it means to be a competent mental health professional. The purpose of the present study was to explore critical domains of professional competence for mental health professionals who work with veterans and their families. Using a mixed-method Delphi approach, a panel of experts identified 25 professional competencies for providers of services to veterans and their families. Implications for competent professional practice, extensions for research, and applications for graduate training programs that wish to specialize in training students to work with veterans are discussed.