title: A clinical study of competency in psychiatric inpatients.
abstract: A 15-item questionnaire used to evaluate competency to consent to psychiatric hospitalization was validated using a blind forensic psychiatric interview. The statistical correlation was excellent with p < .001. The questionnaire also correlated highly with the Mini-Mental State exam (p < .05), the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (p < .05), and the Weschler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised vocabulary subtest (p < .01). This questionnaire may be a useful instrument for preliminary screening of psychiatric patients for competency to consent to hospitalization and general psychiatric treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, St. Vincent's Hospital and Medical Center of New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Billick
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Naylor
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Majeske
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Burgert
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Davis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D008297:Male; D016743:Mental Competency / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D008609:Mental Status Schedule / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D028642:Persons with Psychiatric Disorders; D008875:Middle Aged; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results