Referral preferences among the mental health professions

A questionnaire presenting two clinical cases with questions about a diagnosis, type of treatment, and whether the respondent would treat or refer the person was administered to pastoral counselors, psychologists, social workers, and psychiatrists. Psychiatrists tend to see the most and social workers the least pathology in the cases. Psychiatrists see the least need for a psychometric evaluation, but no difference was found concerning need for a neurological examination. The majority prefer to treat the "neurotic" case, whereas there was an almost equal tendency to refer the "phychotic" case. Social workers most prefer to treat and pastoral counselors to refer the "psychotic" case. Overall, social workers refer the most, pastoral counselors the least. Credibility as referral source is ranked as follows: psychiatry, psychology, social work, counselors (both pastoral and marriage, family and child), with laymen ranking lowest. Rankings of credibility and effectiveness as referral sources are highly correlated. Furthermore, the more effective and credible a professional group, the supply of such persons is seen as ample.