RESUMEN
Objective:To learn about the normativity and differences among regions and institutions of the fee of counseling and psychotherapy in China.Methods:The fee standards of 142 mental health service institutions released on their websites were collected through intemet query,the overall situation and the aspects of regions and instimtions of the fee of counseling and psychotherapy were analyzed and compared.Results:Ninety-one institutions set fee standards which had great disparity according to either the practitioner's professional ritles or their qualifications.Private institutions had a significant higher level of both the average minimum and maximum fees of interview counseling than public hospitals (Ps ＜0.00).The differences in the maximum fees of interview counseling among different regions were found to be statistically significant (P ＜ 0.001),the maximum fees of interview counseling in eastern areas were significantly higher than that in central and westem areas,the maximum fees of interview counseling in provincial cities were significantly higher than that in non-provincial cities (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion:The currein fee of counseling and psychotherapy lacks overall regulations.The fee of counseling and psychotherapy should take an overall account of the nature of institutions,the regions,the qualifications of practitioners and the specific conditions of the clients so as to set proper fee standards,thereby promoting the development of mental health services.