The DOI matches its Crossref record.
Assessing Competence to Consent to Treatment: A Guide for Physicians and Other Health Prefessionals
Abstract
One of the most challenging tasks facing clinicians today is the assessment of patients' capacities to consent to treatment. The protection of a patient's right to decide, as well as the protection of incompetent patients from the potential harm of the decisions they might make, rests largely on clinicians' abilities to judge patients' capacities to decide what treatment they will receive. Confusing laws and complex ethical questions surrounding competence to consent to treatment have made the process of competence assessment intimidating for many clinicians. Health professionals - physicians, medical students nad residents, nurses, and mental health practitioners - have long needed a consice guidebook that translates the issue for practice. This is what this book accomplishes. The aurthors describe the place of competence in the doctrine of informed consent and show how assessments of competence to consent to treatment can be structured by using a specific set of general medical and psychiatric treatment settings, explain how the assessment should be conducted, and offer a structured interview method to assist the task. They also explore the often difficult process of making the judgement about competence and desire what to do when patients' capacities are limited.
Overview
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
In the citing paper
“Most tests of competence to consent to medical treatment require that the person can “weigh” the information and “appreciate” consequences of their decision (7), yet the ability to do this may be impaired by the effects of mental disorder.”
From Medical Assistance in Dying: Challenges for Psychiatry (2018) · cites this paper as [7]
Citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Items 401–500 of 804
Huang, R., Wang, X. Q., Yang, B. X., Liu, Z., CHEN, W. C., Jiao, S. F., & Chen, J. (2021) · Perspectives In Psychiatric Care · doi:10.1111/ppc.12779 · Cited by 6
McFarland, D. C., Voigt, L. P., & Alici, Y. (2021) · Psycho-Oncology · doi:10.1002/pon.5812 · Cited by 6
Tannou, T., Gzil, F., Kennelly, S., Tournoy, J., Frisardi, V., & Soysal, P. (2023) · European Geriatric Medicine · doi:10.1007/s41999-023-00852-4 · Cited by 7
Electroconvulsive therapy, capacity and the law in Ireland
Dunne, R. A., Kavanagh, A., & McLoughlin, D. M. (2009) · Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine · doi:10.1017/s0790966700000033 · Cited by 6
Ringstad, Ø. (2013) · Disability and Rehabilitation · doi:10.3109/09638288.2013.829523 · Cited by 6
Incorporating End-of-Life Issues into Psychology Courses
Werth, J. L. (2002) · Teaching of Psychology · doi:10.1207/s15328023top2902_04 · Cited by 6
Substitute consent practices in the face of uncertainty: a survey of Canadian researchers in aging
Bravo, G., Wildeman, S. M., Dubois, M., et al. (2013) · International Psychogeriatrics · doi:10.1017/s1041610213001336 · Cited by 6
Revisiting Decision-Making Capacity
Atluru, A. (2016) · American Journal of Psychiatry Residents Journal · doi:10.1176/appi.ajp-rj.2016.111105 · Cited by 6
A civic republican analysis of mental capacity law
O’Shea, T. (2018) · Legal Studies · doi:10.1017/lst.2017.7 · Cited by 6
Evaluation of Juvenile Competency to Proceed: Applying theDuskyStandard
Romaine, C. L. R., Kemp, K. A., & DeMatteo, D. S. (2010) · Journal of Forensic Psychology Practice · doi:10.1080/15228930903172973 · Cited by 6
Hartvigsson, T., Munthe, C., & Forsander, G. (2018) · Clinical Ethics · doi:10.1177/1477750917749955 · Cited by 5
Navin, M. C., Wasserman, J. A., Stahl, D. J., et al. (2021) · Journal of Medical Ethics · doi:10.1136/medethics-2020-107078 · Cited by 6
Seo, M. K., Kim, S. H., & Rhee, M. (2011) · Psychiatry Investigation · doi:10.4306/pi.2011.8.1.39 · Cited by 6
Irrationality, Mental Capacities, and Neuroscience1
Craigie, J., & Coram, A. (2013) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199925605.003.0004 · Cited by 6
Otto, R. K., & Ogloff, J. R. P. (2013) · doi:10.1002/9781394260591.ch2 · Cited by 6
Bioethical Issues in Pharmacoepidemiologic Research
Khoury, A. C. E., Karlawish, J. H., Andrews, E. B., & Caplan, A. L. (2012) · Pharmacoepidemiology · doi:10.1002/9781119959946.ch35 · Cited by 5
Fisher, C. B., Rosenfeld, B. D., McKenzie, D. M., et al. (2002) · Ethics & Behavior · doi:10.1207/s15327019eb1203_6 · Cited by 6
Ladwig, S., Pauls, F., Gerke, L., & Nestoriuc, Y. (2024) · Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy · doi:10.1002/cpp.2977 · Cited by 5
SZMUKLER, G. I. (2025) · The International Library of Bioethics · doi:10.1007/978-94-024-2274-0_18 · Cited by 5
Gieselmann, A., Werning, A., Potthoff, S., Vollmann, J., Gather, J., & Scholten, M. (2025) · Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine · doi:10.1017/ipm.2025.10086 · Cited by 5
Wasilewski, S. (2023) · Ethics & Behavior · doi:10.1080/10508422.2023.2252120 · Cited by 5
Capacity to consent: a scoping review of youth decision-making capacity for gender-affirming care
Marino, L. G., Boguszewski, K. E., Stephens, H. F., & Taylor, J. F. (2024) · BMC Medical Ethics · doi:10.1186/s12910-024-01107-y · Cited by 6
Barba, A. C., García-Solano, F., Fraguas, D., & Chapela, E. (2007) · Current Opinion in Psychiatry · doi:10.1097/yco.0b013e32827851fc · Cited by 5
Eiser, A. R., Kirkpatrick, J. N., Patton, K. K., McLain, E., Dougherty, C. M., & Beattie, J. M. (2018) · Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology · doi:10.1111/pace.13288 · Cited by 5
FASD and Competency to Stand Trial (CST): An Exploratory Review
Brown, J., Haun, J. J., Zapf, P. A., & Aiken, T. (2018) · International library of ethics, law, and the new medicine/The international library of ethics, law, and the new medicine · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-71755-5_12 · Cited by 5
Barriers to Using Legally Authorized Representatives in Clinical Research with Older Adults
Mozersky, J. T., Solomon, E. D., Baldwin, K. A., Wroblewski, M. P., Parsons, M. V., Goodman, M. S., & DuBois, J. M. (2023) · Journal of Alzheimer s Disease Reports · doi:10.3233/adr-220103 · Cited by 5
Why we have duties of autonomy towards marginal agents
Hirsch, A. (2023) · Metamedicine · doi:10.1007/s11017-023-09623-5 · Cited by 5
Is compulsory care ethically justified for patients with borderline personality disorder?
Lundahl, A., Helgesson, G., & Juth, N. (2023) · Clinical Ethics · doi:10.1177/14777509231216036 · Cited by 5
Varieties of decisional incapacity: Theory and practice
Kim, S. Y. H. (2013) · The British Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.113.128256 · Cited by 5
Autonomy and Capacity to Consent in Dementia
Haberstroh, J. (2015) · GeroPsych · doi:10.1024/1662-9647/a000116 · Cited by 5
Étude prospective du processus communicationnel lié à l’annonce d’une maladie incurable
Marcoux, I. (2012) · Bulletin du Cancer · doi:10.1684/bdc.2011.1530 · Cited by 5
Srinath, S., & Bhola, P. (2016) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-981-10-1808-4_14 · Cited by 4
Assessment of Competence in Older Adults
Cohen, D. A., Schultz, I. Z., Sepehry, A. A., & Stewart, A. (2018) · Handbooks in health, work, and disability · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-03916-5_23 · Cited by 5
Medicolegal Implications of Mild Neurocognitive Disorder
Bejenaru, A., & Ellison, J. M. (2020) · Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology · doi:10.1177/0891988720957092 · Cited by 5
Malhi, S. K., Welch‐West, P., Koo, A. M., et al. (2021) · Neuropsychological Rehabilitation · doi:10.1080/09602011.2021.1921813 · Cited by 5
Hartvigsson, T. (2021) · Criminal Law and Philosophy · doi:10.1007/s11572-021-09595-4 · Cited by 7
Hawkins, T., & Curtice, M. J. R. (2023) · BJPsych Advances · doi:10.1192/bja.2022.76 · Cited by 5
Swindell, J. S., Coverdale, J., Crisp-Han, H., & McCullough, L. B. (2010) · Psychiatric Services · doi:10.1176/ps.2010.61.9.868 · Cited by 5
Cowden, M. (2016) · Palgrave Macmillan US eBooks · doi:10.1057/9781137492296_4 · Cited by 5
Congenital and Acquired Brain Injury. 4. Outpatient and Community Reintegration
Elovic, E. P., Kothari, S., Flanagan, S. R., Kwasnica, C. M., & Brown, A. W. (2008) · Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation · doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2007.12.012 · Cited by 5
Heck, A. L., & Herrick, S. M. (2007) · Journal of Forensic Psychology Practice · doi:10.1300/j158v07n02_06 · Cited by 5
Legal and Ethical Issues in the Court-Mandated Treatment of Batterers
Rosenbaum, A., Warnken, W. J., & Grudzinskas, A. J. (2003) · Journal of Aggression Maltreatment & Trauma · doi:10.1300/j146v07n01_12 · Cited by 5
The emerging debate over the shape of informed consent: can the doctrine bear the weight?
Petrila, J. P. (2002) · Behavioral Sciences & the Law · doi:10.1002/bsl.493 · Cited by 5
Shreve-Neiger, A., Houston, C. M., Christensen, K. A., & Kier, F. J. (2008) · Educational Gerontology · doi:10.1080/03601270701835882 · Cited by 5
Psychiatric Assessment and Diagnosis in Older Adults
Meeks, T. W., Lanouette, N. M., Vahia, I. V., Dawes, S., Jeste, D. V., & Lebowitz, B. D. (2009) · FOCUS The Journal of Lifelong Learning in Psychiatry · doi:10.1176/foc.7.1.foc3 · Cited by 6
Condie, L. O., Liu, L. G., Robinson, J. D., et al. (2014) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-0-387-09817-3_5 · Cited by 5
Mandarelli, G., Parmigiani, G., Carabellese, F., Codella, S., Roma, P., Brancadoro, D., Ferretti, A., Alessandro, L., Pinto, G., & Ferracuti, S. (2019) · Medicine Science and the Law · doi:10.1177/0025802419865854 · Cited by 5
SZMUKLER, G. I. (2010) · International library of ethics, law, and the new medicine/The international library of ethics, law, and the new medicine · doi:10.1007/978-90-481-8721-8_20 · Cited by 5
License as Leverage: Mandating Treatment for ProfessionalsPreprint
Bonnie, R. J., & Monahan, J. T. (2011) · SSRN Electronic Journal · doi:10.2139/ssrn.1758874 · Cited by 5
The Use of Physical Restraints in Medical Emergencies
Sklar, D. P. (2000) · New England Journal of Medicine · doi:10.1056/nejm200003093421016 · Cited by 5
Compulsory Interventions in Mentally Ill Persons at Risk of Becoming Violent
Konrad, N., & Müller, S. (2014) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-94-007-4707-4_56 · Cited by 4
Tunzi, M., Day, P. G., & Satin, D. J. (2024) · Patient Education and Counseling · doi:10.1016/j.pec.2024.108362 · Cited by 5
Halpern, J. (2023) · Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice · doi:10.1111/jep.13864 · Cited by 4
Touyz, S. W., Carney, T., Yager, J., Newton, R., Hay, P., & Aouad, P. (2025) · Psychiatry Psychology and Law · doi:10.1080/13218719.2024.2416643 · Cited by 4
Depression and Autonomy in Physician-Assisted Suicide
Tzinman, R. (2025) · The Journal of Medicine and Philosophy A Forum for Bioethics and Philosophy of Medicine · doi:10.1093/jmp/jhaf005 · Cited by 4
Evaluating Medico-Legal Decisional Competency Criteria
Whiting, D. (2013) · Health Care Analysis · doi:10.1007/s10728-013-0258-z · Cited by 4
The impact of context on assessments of mental capacity by psychiatrists
Olumoroti, O. J., Kassim, A., & Hotopf, M. H. (2007) · Journal of Mental Health · doi:10.1080/09638230701482337 · Cited by 4
Mental Illness, Natural Death, and Non-Voluntary Passive Euthanasia
Varelius, J. (2015) · Ethical Theory and Moral Practice · doi:10.1007/s10677-015-9664-7 · Cited by 4
Anxiety Impacts Consent Capacity to Treatment in Alzheimer's Disease
Kato, Y., Matsuoka, T., Eguchi, Y., Iiboshi, K., Koumi, H., Nakamura, K., Okabe, K., Nakaaki, S., Furukawa, T. A., Mimura, M., et al. (2021) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.685430 · Cited by 5
Brown, E. L., Ruggiano, N., Roberts, L., Clarke, P., Davis, D. L., Agronin, M., Geldmacher, D., Hough, M. S., Muñoz, M. H., Framil, C. V., et al. (2021) · Research in Gerontological Nursing · doi:10.3928/19404921-20210825-02 · Cited by 4
Sense of Difficulties Experienced by Japanese Occupational Therapists in Cancer Rehabilitation
Kagaya, Y., Asano, T., Tsugaruya, M., et al. (2022) · Asian Journal of Occupational Therapy · doi:10.11596/asiajot.18.209 · Cited by 4
Rethinking the Assessment of Decision-Making Capacity and Making Treatment-Related Decisions
Li, J. K. Y. (2020) · The Journal of Clinical Ethics · doi:10.1086/jce2020311060 · Cited by 4
Questioning our presumptions about the presumption of capacity
Astrachan, I. M., Keene, A. R., & Kim, S. Y. H. (2023) · Journal of Medical Ethics · doi:10.1136/jme-2023-109199 · Cited by 5
Old age as an “alternative” to illness: gerontological and medico-legal aspects
Molinelli, A., Viale, L., Landolfa, M. C., & Stefano, F. D. (2011) · Aging Clinical and Experimental Research · doi:10.1007/bf03654782 · Cited by 6
Schou‐Juul, F., Ferm, L.-M. T., Boje, I. R., Rise, J. E., Skov, S. S., Ritz, C., & Lauridsen, S. (2024) · Dementia · doi:10.1177/14713012241262833 · Cited by 4
Allan, A., & Allan, M. M. (2019) · Ethics & Behavior · doi:10.1080/10508422.2019.1592683 · Cited by 4
The Paradox of Consent for Capacity Assessments
Koch, P. M. (2019) · The Journal of Law Medicine & Ethics · doi:10.1177/1073110519897752 · Cited by 4
Psychiatrists' Documentation of Informed Consent: A Representative Survey
Schachter, D. C., & Kleinman, I. (2006) · The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1177/070674370605100705 · Cited by 4
Capacity to consent to research: The evolution and current concepts
Peisah, C., Vollmer-Conna, U. S., & Kim, S. Y. H. (2012) · Asia-Pacific Psychiatry · doi:10.1111/j.1758-5872.2012.00210.x · Cited by 5
Medical Decision-Making Capacity in Depression
Ostermeyer, B. K., Flores, A., Dukes, C., & Shah, A. A. (2016) · Psychiatric Annals · doi:10.3928/00485713-20160222-01 · Cited by 4
Hernández‐Marrero, P., Pereira, S. M., Araújo, J., & Carvalho, A. S. (2018) · Emerald Group Publishing Limited eBooks · doi:10.1108/s2398-601820180000004010 · Cited by 4
Guidry, J., Castagna, P. J., & Davis, T. E. (2019) · Autism and child psychopathology series · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-20843-1_12 · Cited by 4
Harter, T. D., Sterenson, E., Borgert, A. J., & Rasmussen, C. (2021) · AJOB Empirical Bioethics · doi:10.1080/23294515.2021.1887961 · Cited by 5
Os limites do dever de informação na relação médico-paciente e sua prova
Bergstein, G. (2012) · doi:10.11606/t.2.2012.tde-30042013-144339 · Cited by 4
Scholten, M., & Vollmann, J. (2018) · AJOB Neuroscience · doi:10.1080/21507740.2018.1428239 · Cited by 4
Reducing Involuntary Admissions
Maguire, J., Hatling, T., & Kjus, S. H. H. (2024) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-61224-4_9 · Cited by 3
Mental Capacity and Supported Decision-Making
Scholten, M. (2025) · The International Library of Bioethics · doi:10.1007/978-94-024-2274-0_3 · Cited by 7
Barghout, R. A., Lachs, J., Haussner, W., Hancock, D. W., Elman, A., Benton, E. A., Kupas, D. F., Strony, R. S., Rowe, D., Henkel, C., et al. (2025) · Prehospital Emergency Care · doi:10.1080/10903127.2025.2537861 · Cited by 3
Mercurio, E. N. (2023) · Boletín Mexicano de Derecho Comparado · doi:10.22201/iij.24484873e.2022.163.17495 · Cited by 3
Ethical Issues in the Treatment of Eating Disorders
Tan, J. O. A., Jamieson, S. K., & Anderson, S. (2023) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-97416-9_73-1 · Cited by 3
Mercurio, E. N., & Lerner, D. S. (2024) · Current Issues in Criminal Justice · doi:10.1080/10345329.2023.2297479 · Cited by 3
From a phenomenology of birth towards an ethics of obstetric care
Tömmel, T. N. (2024) · Clinical Ethics · doi:10.1177/14777509241233155 · Cited by 4
Walsh, E. (2024) · The Hastings center report · doi:10.1002/hast.4914 · Cited by 2
The role of the ethics expert in Spanish legislation on euthanasia and mental health
Pozón, S. R. (2025) · Bioethics News · doi:10.1007/s40592-025-00228-3 · Cited by 4
Jorem, J., Førde, R., Husum, T. L., Dahlberg, J., & Pedersen, R. (2025) · BJPsych Open · doi:10.1192/bjo.2024.810 · Cited by 3
Jorem, J., Førde, R., Husum, T. L., Dahlberg, J., & Pedersen, R. (2025) · BMC Psychiatry · doi:10.1186/s12888-025-07161-z · Cited by 4
Taylor, D., Masse, L., Ho, A., et al. (2013) · Archives of Public Health · doi:10.1186/0778-7367-71-11 · Cited by 3
Canuel, C., Couturier, Y., & Beaulieu, M. J. (2011) · Enfances Familles Générations · doi:10.7202/045422ar · Cited by 3
End-of-Life Care: Issues Relevant to the Geriatric Psychiatrist
Lyness, J. M. (2007) · FOCUS The Journal of Lifelong Learning in Psychiatry · doi:10.1176/foc.5.4.foc459 · Cited by 3
Paternalism and Its Justification
Gert, B., Culver, C. M., & Clouser, K. D. (2006) · Bioethics · doi:10.1093/0195159063.003.0010 · Cited by 3
Vascular Cognitive Impairment: Perspective and Review
Hyer, L. A., Damon, J., & Nizam, Z. (2007) · The Journal of Psychiatry & Law · doi:10.1177/009318530703500306 · Cited by 3
MacLeod, M. Z. K. (2020) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-981-15-6968-5_9 · Cited by 3
Das kleine Einmaleins der Urteilsfähigkeit: Die Top-10-Grundsätze für die klinische Praxis
Trachsel, M., & Biller‐Andorno, N. (2022) · Praxis · doi:10.1024/1661-8157/a003806 · Cited by 3
Marazia, C., Rucci, P., Fangerau, H., Voßberg, D., Rolfes, V., Iozzino, L., Iommi, M., Gosek, P., Heitzman, J., Ferrari, C., et al. (2022) · Schizophrenia Bulletin Open · doi:10.1093/schizbullopen/sgac037 · Cited by 4
Self-citationLadwig, S., Pauls, F., Gerke, L., Trachsel, M., & Nestoriuc, Y. (2023) · Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy · doi:10.1002/cpp.2935 · Cited by 3
Capacity to consent to treatment in severe eating disorders
Parmigiani, G., Tarsitani, L., Grassi, F., Mandarelli, G., & Ferracuti, S. (2024) · International Review of Psychiatry · doi:10.1080/09540261.2023.2300781 · Cited by 3
Damm, R. (2017) · Zeitschrift für Rechtssoziologie · doi:10.1515/zfrs-2017-0018 · Cited by 3
Thinking about the idea of consent in data science genomics: How ‘informed’ is it?
Greenwood, J., & Crowden, A. (2021) · Nursing Philosophy · doi:10.1111/nup.12347 · Cited by 3
Informed Consent in Electronic Medical Record Systems
Yu, B., Wijesekera, D., & Costa, P. (2017) · IGI Global eBooks · doi:10.4018/978-1-5225-2237-9.ch049 · Cited by 3
Tanaka, K., Hayakawa, M., Mori, M., Maeda, N., Nagata, M., & Horibe, K. (2023) · BMC Medical Ethics · doi:10.1186/s12910-023-00907-y · Cited by 3
Metadata
- Authors
- Grisso, T., & Appelbaum, P. S.
- Publisher
- Oxford University PressNew York, NY
- Published
- 1998-02-12
- OpenAlex
- W4388066189
- Cited by
- 823
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 45 · 2025: 45 · 2024: 38 · 2023: 31 · 2022: 34 · 2021: 44 · 2020: 36 · 2019: 45 · 2018: 36 · 2017: 30 · 2016: 26 · 2015: 35 · 2014: 26 · 2013: 44 · 2012: 28
- FWCI
- 9.61
- Type
- book
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Healthcare Decision-Making and Restraints
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Ethics and bioethics in healthcare
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Ethics and Legal Issues in Pediatric Healthcare
- Keywords
- capacity to consent, informed consent, decision-making capacity, patient autonomy, competency assessment, structured interviews, psychiatric patients, medical patients, legal and ethical issues
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
