In order to identify important clinical questions in long-term care settings for older adults, it may be helpful to examine the psychological consultant's role in these settings. A consultant is often faced with some staff members who think he has all the answers and by others who think he has none. The consultant may also encounter a strong attributional bias about the etiology of problems in long-term care settings. The staff may feel that the patient is the problem and that the patient's intrapsychic processes are the basis for difficulty. The consultant who notices this attributional bias must help the staff to consider other factors such as the impact of the past and present environment on behavior. In addition, many clinical questions presented to consultants deal with socially significant behaviors of residents rather than with clinically significant behaviors. While improvements in socially significant behaviors may benefit residents as well as make things easier for the staff, there must be some emphasis on addressing the clinical behaviors and the psychological needs of the older adult residents. Staff members need to learn about the effects of psychological problems on the functioning of residents and staff, and about the importance of improving the residents' quality of life. The psychological consultant must be skilled in organizational psychology, in providing continuing and in-service education, and in basic clinical abilities. (NRB)