Factors influencing styles of medical practice: the use of psychiatric referrals by non-psychiatric physicians.

There is substantial variation between physicians in the extent to which they employ psychiatric referral as a mechanism for dealing with their patients who have psychiatric problems. A variety of factors, including personal characteristics, professional attitudes, training and practice characteristics, were hypothesized to influence styles of practice in this area of medicine. A regression equation with a multiple R of .71 indicated that personal characteristics and attitudes were particularly strongly related, but that practice and patient characteristics as well as training also play some role in influencing a physician's behavior.