What Are We Worth? Fee Decisions of Psychologists in Private Practice

Abstract

This study consisted of eight interviews done with psychologists in private practice, four female and four male, of European American origin. Their responses to questions about decision making regarding fees provide fertile ground for future research. Psychologists' thoughts about fee-setting and adjustment appear to be complex and widely variable. Although the findings are limited due to sample size and homogeneity, the results suggest that: psychologists may be ambivalent about discussing their fees; managed care practices may be undercutting a willingness of therapists to do pro bono, sliding or adjusted fee work; a gender analysis should include family-of-origin socioeconomic status in fee decisions; women may be considerably more flexible in adjusting fee decisions; psychologists are increasingly eager to find self-pay clients instead of third party pay or managed care pay clients due to the constraints and burdens of such payers; and psychologists are often confused about their ethical and legal mandates pertaining to fee-setting and management.