The relationship between general practitioners' attitudes and the methods they use when dealing with psychosocial problems was investigated using a questionnaire that was answered by a group of 30 general practitioners. The results showed that: (1) the doctor's desire to help is in general associated with the need to be appreciated; (2) when treating sexual problems, the giving of information is associated with a desire to change the patient; (3) when dealing with problems associated with chronic illness, the giving of encouragement to the patient is accompanied by a desire to give advice. The findings suggest that the way in which a general practitioner treats psychosocial problems depends partly on the type of problem and partly on his own attitude.