Prescription rights for psychologists - exploring professionals' perspective in Poland

Mental health problems are rising globally, creating major social and economic burdens. Expanding the role of psychologists by granting them right to prescribe has been proposed as one possible solution. This study analysed 193 written comments from Polish psychologists on the idea of granting their profession the prescribing authority. Responses were collected through an open-ended item in an online survey and analysed using qualitative approach complemented with basic quantitative analysis. Conventional content analysis identified seven thematic categories: (1) rejection of the idea, (2) doubts and barriers, (3) prerequisites for implementation, (4) scope and limitations, (5) support and benefits, (6) additional rights, and (7) unrelated remarks. Emotional valence of comments shows a generally balanced stance across the community, and a relationship with categories. Psychotherapists differed in their opinions from other psychologist in emotional valence and four categories. Work experience and employment in public healthcare had no effect on comments' category or emotional valence. Findings underscore the complexity of the issue and the dilemmas psychologists face, while providing a basis for further research on attitudes toward prescribing authority for psychologists.