Physician Characteristics and Attitudes Toward Legitimate Use of Psychotherapeutic Drugs

The present study found that physicians held a range of attitudes toward the appropriate use of two widely prescribed psychotherapeutic drugs, Dexedrine and Librium. It was also found that their evaluations of such drug use were more likely to be related to characteristics reflecting values, social position, or social background than characteristics reflecting medical or scientific background. The findings strongly suggested the need to investigate further the role and importance of such social factors in the prescribing habits of physicians.