Abstract
Despite the growing amount of data, much information is needed on patients' mental capacity to consent to psychiatric treatment for acute mental disorders. The present study was undertaken to compare differences in capacity to consent to psychiatric treatment in patients treated voluntarily and involuntarily and to investigate the role of psychiatric symptoms, competency, and cognitive functioning in determining voluntariness of hospital admission. Involuntary patients were interviewed with the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Treatment (MacCAT-T), the 24-item Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Raven's Colored Progressive Matrices, and their data were compared with those for age- and sex-matched voluntary patients. Involuntary patients performed worse in all MacCAT-T subscales. Capacity to consent to treatment varied widely within each group. Overall, involuntary patients have worse consent-related mental capacity than those treated voluntarily, despite capacity to consent to treatment showing a significant variability in both groups.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1002-1007 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Journal of Forensic Sciences |
| Volume | 59 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2014 |
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Keywords
- Affective disorders
- Forensic science
- Health care ethics
- Informed consent
- Mental competency
- Schizophrenia
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pathology and Forensic Medicine
- Genetics
- Medicine(all)
Cite this
Mental capacity in patients involuntarily or voluntarily receiving psychiatric treatment for an acute mental disorder. / Mandarelli, Gabriele; Tarsitani, Lorenzo; Parmigiani, Giovanna; Polselli, Gian M.; Frati, Paola; Biondi, Massimo; Ferracuti, Stefano.
In: Journal of Forensic Sciences, Vol. 59, No. 4, 2014, p. 1002-1007.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Mental capacity in patients involuntarily or voluntarily receiving psychiatric treatment for an acute mental disorder
AU - Mandarelli, Gabriele
AU - Tarsitani, Lorenzo
AU - Parmigiani, Giovanna
AU - Polselli, Gian M.
AU - Frati, Paola
AU - Biondi, Massimo
AU - Ferracuti, Stefano
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - Despite the growing amount of data, much information is needed on patients' mental capacity to consent to psychiatric treatment for acute mental disorders. The present study was undertaken to compare differences in capacity to consent to psychiatric treatment in patients treated voluntarily and involuntarily and to investigate the role of psychiatric symptoms, competency, and cognitive functioning in determining voluntariness of hospital admission. Involuntary patients were interviewed with the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Treatment (MacCAT-T), the 24-item Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Raven's Colored Progressive Matrices, and their data were compared with those for age- and sex-matched voluntary patients. Involuntary patients performed worse in all MacCAT-T subscales. Capacity to consent to treatment varied widely within each group. Overall, involuntary patients have worse consent-related mental capacity than those treated voluntarily, despite capacity to consent to treatment showing a significant variability in both groups.
AB - Despite the growing amount of data, much information is needed on patients' mental capacity to consent to psychiatric treatment for acute mental disorders. The present study was undertaken to compare differences in capacity to consent to psychiatric treatment in patients treated voluntarily and involuntarily and to investigate the role of psychiatric symptoms, competency, and cognitive functioning in determining voluntariness of hospital admission. Involuntary patients were interviewed with the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Treatment (MacCAT-T), the 24-item Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Raven's Colored Progressive Matrices, and their data were compared with those for age- and sex-matched voluntary patients. Involuntary patients performed worse in all MacCAT-T subscales. Capacity to consent to treatment varied widely within each group. Overall, involuntary patients have worse consent-related mental capacity than those treated voluntarily, despite capacity to consent to treatment showing a significant variability in both groups.
KW - Affective disorders
KW - Forensic science
KW - Health care ethics
KW - Informed consent
KW - Mental competency
KW - Schizophrenia
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84903439204&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84903439204&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/1556-4029.12420
DO - 10.1111/1556-4029.12420
M3 - Article
C2 - 24502678
AN - SCOPUS:84903439204
VL - 59
SP - 1002
EP - 1007
JO - Journal of Forensic Sciences
JF - Journal of Forensic Sciences
SN - 0022-1198
IS - 4
ER -