title: Validation of an Instrument to Assess the Mental Capacity to Sign an Enduring Power of Attorney.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the validation of an instrument to assess the mental capacity of an individual to sign an enduring power of attorney.
  
  
  METHODS
  An instrument named Capacity Assessment to Sign an Enduring Power of Attorney (CASEPA) was developed following a literature review, focus group discussions, expert reviews, and pilot testing. Chinese persons aged ≥ 60 years who had a range of cognitive abilities were recruited from elderly care centres in Hong Kong to explore its psychometric properties.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 85 participants were included. For inter-rater reliability, the intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.93 for understanding, 0.87 for appreciation, and 0.84 for reasoning. For internal consistency, the Cronbach's alpha was 0.75 for understanding, 0.74 for appreciation, and 0.86 for reasoning. The content validity was examined by an international expert in mental capacity and psychiatry and by 5 local experts in the fields of mental health, law, psychiatry, psychology, and geriatrics. The clinician ratings correlated with the ability score for understanding (r = 0.74, p < 0.001), appreciation (r = 0.73, p < 0.001) and reasoning (r = 0.73, p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The CASEPA is a potentially useful tool to assess the mental capacity of an individual to sign an enduring power of attorney.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Tai Po Hospital, Tai Po, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: R Sf
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Tai Po Hospital, Tai Po, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: V Wc
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Lui
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Guardianship Board, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: C Cy
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: L Cw
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Lam
mesh_terms: D016223:Advance Directives / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016743:Mental Competency / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics
keywords: Decision making; Hong Kong; Mental competency