Permissible errors in managing property: an approach to the threshold of capacity.
OBJECTIVE
To demonstrate a practical approach to describing the threshold of mental capacity.


METHODS
A retrospective analysis of 62 cases of assessments for capacity to manage property was carried out to record the type and frequency of errors.


RESULTS
For items on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), there was no clear demarcation of items associated with a judgement of capable. On the clinical criteria, several items almost completely distinguished capable from incapable subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
The permissible error approach makes the threshold of capacity explicit. It is well suited to the emphasis put on functional performance in the evaluation of mental capacity.
Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Ontario. michel.silberfeld@utoronto.ca
M
M
Silberfeld
W
W
Corber
D002170:Canada; D005104:Expert Testimony / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006801:Humans; D007872:Legal Guardians; D016743:Mental Competency / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D008609:Mental Status Schedule / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics