In American literature on consulation-liaison-psychiatry very often a consultee-oriented or situation-oriented approach is advocated. Earlier studies in two Dutch University Hospitals revealed that in about one-third of the psychiatrie consultations emotional problems with or around the patient played a more or less important role. The aim of the present study was to investigate the attitude of Dutch consultation psychiatrists towards these matter, especially their way of handling these environmental factors in consultations. Five experts were asked to judge reports of six consultations where a situation-oriented approach was theoretically possible. They appeared to be in agreement as to the opinion that such an approach very often is not indicated. Some remarks are made about indications when a situation-oriented approach is not appropriate, for instante when the environmental factor is not clear, too incidental or not treatable.