Trends in psychiatric practice, 1965-1980

The authors compare the results of a study of the practice activities of psychiatrists conducted in 1979-1980 with one conducted in 1965. Although office-based practice has remained the core activity of the profession, psychiatrists in 1979 had a greater tendency to divide their time among multiple practice sites and activities during the work week. As a consequence, the percentage of practitioners working part- time in a variety of organized care settings has increased substantially. These findings support a view of psychiatry as a profession that is far more diversified than it was 15 years ago. The authors discuss major factors affecting trends in psychiatric practice.