Practice Snapshots
by Professional Development Staff
February 25, 2004 -- Capturing snapshots in time. It may seem like a sound bite for a camera commercial. But it also summarizes what professional psychology is acquiring through an Internet-based data collection system known as PracticeNet.
Developed by the APA Practice Directorate in consultation with a group of APA members, PracticeNet is used to survey enrolled APA members three to four times a year. Participant responses provide instantaneous and up-to-date information about practicing psychologists’ activities at a specific point in time.
PracticeNet results offer professional psychology a look at certain practice characteristics and clinical realities. Highlights from a 2003 survey of practice patterns* reveal:
Client demographics. 56 percent of clients were female, while 44 percent were male. In terms of race/ethnicity, 82 percent of clients were white, 5 percent each were Hispanic and African American, and 3 percent were multiracial. Overall, client demographics mirrored the results of earlier PracticeNet surveys.
Payment source. 27 percent of self-pay clients have health insurance but were not using it. Overall, slightly more than one-fifth of all clients were self-pay.
Referral source. The majority of client referrals (52 percent) came from another health professional, though 26 percent of cases were self-referred.
Psychotherapy and psychopharmacology. 54 percent of psychotherapy clients were receiving psychotropic medications. While most clients (70 percent) saw a psychiatrist for their medications, 24 percent obtained medications from a primary care physician.
Talk of spirituality. Psychologists had discussed spirituality with 56 percent of their clients. Spirituality was identified as a source of strength and coping for 35 percent of these clients, while 6 percent of them considered spirituality a source of distress.
Comparison of early career (up to 7 years post-doctorate) and more established practitioners. Though similar in many respects, these two groups were substantially different in terms of practice setting. Early career psychologists were more likely to be employed in organizational settings such as mental health centers and hospitals than were psychologists who had practiced longer.
Over time, the Practice Directorate is compiling and evaluating the “snapshots” offered by individual surveys to gain insights into practice trends. For example, PracticeNet data suggests scant variation in the prevalence of primary diagnoses since 2001, when the system was first used.
Across surveys, mood disorders account for approximately 40 percent of primary diagnoses, whereas 20 percent of diagnoses involve anxiety disorders and 15 percent of diagnoses are adjustment disorders. Between 11 and 15 percent of clients seen by PracticeNet participants were diagnosed with a personality disorder.
Practice Net eliminates biases in other more traditional survey methods by using a unique application of Real Time Behavior Sampling (RTBS) methodology. To learn more about PracticeNet and survey results, visit the newly redesigned website at www.apapracticenet.net.
241 completed survey responses; 58% response rate. PracticeNet participant demographics closely reflect licensed APA member demographics.