Informed Consent in Adult Psychiatry

Abstract

This article addresses some of the groundwork of informed consent in people with mental illness whose decision-making capacity has obviously been compromised. This article examines four crucial aspects in particular, namely: i) the main elements of informed consent; ii) difficulties pertaining to psychiatric illnesses; iii) the effect of psychiatric disorders on the patient's capability; iv) how to assess situations in which consents may not be required.