Prescription privileges for psychologists: opinions of pediatric psychologists and pediatricians.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the opinions of pediatricians and pediatric psychologists concerning prescription privileges for psychologists.


METHODS
213 pediatric psychologists and 119 pediatricians returned surveys regarding their opinions about cost, access, and quality of psychological care if psychologists had prescription privileges.


RESULTS
Pediatric psychologists had significantly more positive views of prescription privileges than pediatricians. Despite not being in favor of prescription privileges, most pediatricians said that prescription privileges would not negatively impact their professional relationship, although approximately 37% said it would.


CONCLUSIONS
Pediatric psychologists and pediatricians differ significantly in their opinions about prescription privileges for psychologists. The implications of these findings for the working relationship between these two disciplines are discussed.
Rae
William A
WA
Department of Educational Psychology, Texas A&M University, 4225 TAMU, College Station, TX 77845, USA. warae@tamu.edu
Jensen-Doss
Amanda
A
Bowden
Rachel
R
Mendoza
Marissa
M
Banda
Tanya
T
D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004358:Drug Therapy; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002666:Psychology, Child / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States