MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool Research Articles

Assessment of decision-making autonomy in chronic pain patients: a pilot study

BackgroundPatient decision-making autonomy refers to the patients’ ability to freely exert their own choices and make their own decisions, given sufficient resources and information to do so. In pain medicine, it is accepted that appropriate beneficial management aims to propose an individualized treatment plan shared with the patients, as agents, to help them live as autonomously as possible with their pain. However, are patients in chronic pain centers sufficiently autonomous to participate in the therapeutic decisions that concern them? As this question still remains unanswered, a pilot study was set up to that aim.MethodsOver a 2-month period, first-time patients within a tertiary multidisciplinary pain center underwent a systematic evaluation of their autonomy using the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Treatment (MacCAT-T), considered the benchmark tool for measuring a patient’s ability to consent to treatment. Demographic data and pain characteristics of the patients were collected and their respective attending pain physicians were asked to clinically assess their patients’ degree of autonomy. Another physician, who had not participated in the initial patient evaluation, subsequently administered the MacCAT-T questionnaire to the same patients.ResultsTwenty-seven patients were included during the study period (21 women and 6 men), with an average age of 50 years. The average duration of pain was 8 years. Based on their clinical experience, the 4 different pain physicians in charge of these patients considered that out of 25 assessed patients, 22 of them (89%) had full decision-making capacity, with no deficit in autonomy. According to the MacCAT-T results, only 13 of these 25 patients (48%) had no deficit, while 7 (26%) had a major deficit in autonomy. The only patient characteristic that appeared to be related to autonomy was pain type, specifically nociplastic pain. The average time taken to complete the test was 20 min, and patients were very satisfied with the interview.ConclusionResults from the present pilot study suggest that patients suffering from chronic pain do not appear to be entirely autonomous in their decision to consent to the proposed treatment plan according to the MacCAT-T questionnaire, and physicians seem to find it difficult to properly assess this competence in a clinical setting. Further studies with larger samples are needed to better evaluate this concept to improve the complex management of these patients.

Standardised capacity measures and cognition in the assessment of capacity in children and adolescents: a systematic review

While there is increasing use of standardised tools to assist in determining decision-making capacity in adults, there is limited literature evaluating these tools in children/adolescents. The current PRISMA guided systematic review aimed to evaluate standardised capacity assessment tools used in the child/adolescent population, and to examine the relationship between these capacity assessment tools and cognition. Inclusion criteria comprised: (1) validation of a new/existing tool to assess capacity or competence; (2) participants < 18 years; (3) involved validation on normative or non-normative populations; (4) published in English in a peer review journal. Ten studies were included. The majority applied a version of the Macarthur Competence Assessment Tool. Findings suggest capacity assessment tools demonstrate sound psychometric properties, but research into capacity assessment in children is still in its infancy. Limitations include the lack of diagnostic gold standard of capacity and the inconsistent and minimal incorporation of cognitive functioning into standardised capacity assessment.

MacCAT-T between Claim and Practice - Challenges of Assessing Capacity for Consent in Dementia

Consent is a prerequisite for medical diagnostic and therapeutic action. There is no standardised procedure for assessing the ability to give consent. The most widely used tool for structured assessment is the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Treatment (MacCAT-T). People with dementia have impaired capacity to consent because of their disease. In order to answer the question to what extent structured assessment procedures can be usefully applied to people with dementia, we analyse the function, strengths and weaknesses of structured assessment procedures with a focus on the MacCAT-T and discuss suggestions for modification and further development of the tool. Using the PubMed literature database, a systematic literature search and analysis was conducted on papers published since 2010, following PRISMA guidelines.Results Although the MacCAT-T is a valid and reliable tool, it cannot comprehensively address memory problems in people with dementia. It primarily measures cognitive functions. However, Decisions based on emotions, intuitions and values, are not captured by the MacCAT-T. Communicative limitations in people with dementia are not taken into account. It is recommended to provide information in simple language, written down and visualised for people with dementia. The development and elaboration of a graduated procedure for the examination of capacity to consent is indicated. The gradations of the scope and depth of the assessment to be determined should be based on the severity of the cognitive impairment, the benefit/risk ratio of the proposed medical intervention and the individual profile of affective functions and value-based imprints.

Assessment of the informed consent related to healthcare decisions for medically fragile child in italy: a pilot study.

In Italy, the law n. 219/2017 regarding informed consent states that "Communication time between doctor and patient constitutes treatment time". Legal guardian is designated as a proxy to consent on the child's behalf. The issue of proxy informed consent should be approached with a model for parent-child decision-making that is participatory, collaborative, respects and supports the autonomy of child by recognizing their evolving capacities. We aim to assess the informed consent related to healthcare decisions for medically fragile child, using the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Treatment (MacCAT-T). An observational study has been conducted at a Child Neuropsychiatry Service, administering a semi-structured interview with customized questionnaire to examine their capacities in four areas of the MacCAT-T. Results were evaluated with the Pearson correlation coefficient for the cognitive and adaptive levels of the Wechsler-Intelligence-Scale-for-Children (WISC-IV) and the Vineland-Adaptive-Behavior-Scales-II (VABS-II). The MacCAT-T domains Understanding, Appreciation, Reasoning, Expressing a Choice were correlated with the cognitive and adaptive levels of the WISC-IV and the VABS-II. Understanding, Appreciation and Expressing a choice have positive correlation with the Communication and Socialization scores of VABS-II; Reasoning has positive correlation with the Working-Memory-Index scores of the WISC-IV. The study enabled to assess the informed consent processes in vulnerable children and although demonstrating how they participate in their care process in a mostly unconscious way, making the frail children more involved in their own care process was possible. Future studies should assess the impact of incorporating MacCAT-T into standard informed consent in other settings.

Capacity to consent to treatment in severe eating disorders

Eating disorders represent a disabling, deadly and costly condition, whose principal treatment is constituted by weigh restoration and psychotherapy. Partial or total refuse of treatment is very common, leading some authors to question their decision-making capacity (DMC) to consent to treatment. However, very few studies have investigated treatment DMC, leading to contrasting results. Forty-five women were enrolled at the Psychiatric and Eating Disorders Unit of the University Hospital Policlinico Umberto I of Rome. Psychiatric symptoms severity (Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale Expanded, BPRS-E), treatment DMC (MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Treatment, MacCAT-T), depressive symptoms (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, HAM-D), anxiety symptoms (Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, HAM-A), symptoms and psychological characteristics of eating disorders (Eating Disorder Inventory, EDI-3) and Metacognitive beliefs (Metacognitions Questionnaire 30, MCQ-30) were assessed. Sixty-seven percent of the total sample showed low treatment DMC; specifically, 70.4% of patients affected by Anorexia Nervosa, 72.7% of patients affected by Bulimia Nervosa, and 42.9% of patients affected by Binge Eating Disorder. Specific psychopathological symptoms enhance or hamper patients’ decisional capacities. Clinicians should be aware of the risk of impaired DMC in this vulnerable group of patients and pay attention at those factors suggesting the need of an in-depth evaluation.

Capacity to consent to psychotherapy: Reliability of the newly adapted German version of the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Treatment for psychotherapy.

Patients' capacity to consent to treatment (CCT) is a prerequisite for ethically sound informed consent in psychotherapy. The MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Treatment (MacCAT-T) is a reliable instrument for assessing CCT. A German version was adapted to the psychotherapeutical context (MacCAT-PT) to investigate its reliability and possible influences of age, education and prior experience with psychotherapy on CCT in a mixed clinical sample. N = 108 patients with indication for psychotherapy were recruited. The MacCAT-PT was administered by trained psychologists, took 20 min on average and was rated by the administering psychologist and an independent rater. Reliability statistics were investigated and regression analyses were conducted on MacCAT-PT scores and sociodemographic variables. Sufficient to moderate inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.80) and internal consistency (α = 0.80) were found for the total sum score of the MacCAT-PT and its scales, Understanding (ICC = 0.79, α = 0.77), Reasoning (ICC = 0.57, α = 0.65) and Making a Choice (ICC = 0.57). Appreciation featured an unacceptable inter-rater reliability (ICC = -0.01). Regression analyses indicated no significant effects. These findings suggest that the MacCAT-PT is a reliable tool for assessing patients' overall CCT in psychotherapy. Psychometric properties of three scales were of good quality, while Appreciation needs to be reanalysed in patient samples with lower motivation for psychotherapy or limited CCT. The CCT may be suggested to be independent of age, education and prior experience. Future research should provide analyses focusing on structural and clinical validity in multiple clinical samples.

The capacity to consent to treatment is altered in suicidal patients

BackgroundMany patients with depression refuse treatment. Moreover, suicide attempters often display low perceived need of treatment and impaired decision-making. These observations raise questions about the capacity to treatment consent in depressed suicide attempters (SA).MethodsIn patients with current depressive episode (N = 33 SAs and N = 27 non-SAs), consent capacity was evaluated with the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Treatment (MacCAT-T), insight with the Beck Cognitive Insight Scale, and depression severity with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI).ResultsThe median BDI score in the whole sample (N = 60) was 21 [10;36], and was higher in SAs than non-SAs (27 [11;36] vs. 15 [10:33], p < 0.001). Consent capacity was impaired in 30% (appreciation), 53% (reasoning) and 60% (understanding) of all patients. MacCAT-T sub-scores were lower in SAs than non-SAs (understanding: 4.4 [2.35;5.8] vs. 5.3 [3.13;6]); appreciation: 3 [1;4] vs. 4 [2;4]); reasoning (4 [1;7] vs. 7 [3;8]), and ability to express a choice: 1 [0;2] vs. 2 [0;2]; all p < 0.001). In multivariate analyses, suicide attempt history and depression severity (but not insight) were negatively associated with MacCAT-T sub-scores.ConclusionMore research is needed on the capacity to consent to treatment of patients with depression, particularly suicidal individuals, to make informed choices about their treatment.Trial registration The Montpellier University Hospital Institutional Review Board approved the study (No. 202100714).

MacCAT-CR: a way to legitimate the informed consent process in clinical research

Informed consent is an essential ethical component of clinical trials, however, there are still many doubts about its proper realization nowadays. Consent is usually obtained formally, but there are doubts about the competence of participants in a clinical trial to decide whether to participate. From there, a concern arises with the use of instruments capable of assessing the participants’ competence to express a decision. The MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool (MacCAT-CR) can be considered as an appropriate tool for assessing the informed consent process, as it can evaluate participants’ ability to express a decision about their participation in each clinical trial. We review the application of MacCAT-CR in studies involving participants without cognitive impairment, representative of most individuals who generally participate in clinical trials. Our results demonstrate that few studies are evaluating the use of this tool to assess the competence of reasonable participants since most studies are focused on evaluating the consent process in individuals with limited autonomy. Here we discuss the ethical relevance of ensuring that the autonomy of research participants is manifested by assessing the effectiveness of the consent process, especially in developing countries.

Assessing Medical Decision-Making Competence Using the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool-Treatment for Schizophrenia.

Assessing Medical Decision-Making Competence Using the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool-Treatment for Schizophrenia.

The Role of Different Aspects of Communication Behavior in the Assessment of Capacity to Consent

Abstract: Any medical treatment that interferes with physical integrity requires the informed consent of a patient capable of such consent. For people with dementia, the capacity to consent is questioned even in the early course of the disease. Particularly diagnostic instruments like the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Treatment (MacCAT-T) often deny people with dementia the capacity to consent because of high confounding of the results with patients’ verbal abilities. To date, it remains unclear whether not only verbal but also nonverbal communication is associated with assessments of capacity to consent. The current study investigates associations between patients’ verbal and nonverbal communication behaviors as assessed by the measure for Communication Behavior in People with Dementia in Ambulant Settings (CODEMamb) and capacity to consent as assessed by the MacCAT-T. We expected the strongest positive associations for verbal communication behaviors compared to nonverbal communication behaviors. Data of N = 43 patients with dementia ( n = 8 capable of consent) were collected at two different German psychiatric clinics. The results show small to moderate correlations between the overall scores of CODEMamb and MacCAT-T. As expected, correlations were strongest for the verbal CODEMamb subscale. The results support current findings on the dependency of the MacCAT-T on verbal communication. Based on the findings, the discussion addresses how people with dementia can be enabled to make self-determined medical treatment decisions.

Importance of decisional capacity tools in obtaining informed consent in clinical settings.

Informed consent represents a specific protocol for obtaining consent from a fully informed human subject to take part in clinical research. Still, informed consent is not only required for clinical trials but it also represents a critical precondition before enrolment in standard everyday medical procedures. Relevant fundamental criteria for obtaining informed consent must be followed, and that is that patient must have the decisional capacity to reach autonomous decision. The patient must be adequately informed and not coerced. Evaluating decisional capacity is crucial to providing the required level of care. The decision of which decisional capacity tool to use can be challenging because of various dissimilarities among the instruments. In this paper, four widely documented instruments have been evaluated, namely, the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Treatment (MacCAT-T), the Hopkins Competency Assessment Test (HCAT), the Structured Interview for Competency/Incompetency Assessment Testing, Ranking Inventory (SICIATRI), and the Capacity Assessment Tool (CAT). Some of them include a fully structured interview; semi-structured forms characterise others. Most of them are adaptable for different scenarios, and yet, some are tailored for specific treatment decisions. Some evaluate all four components of decisional capacity, while others do not. Although a broad range of capacity assessment tools is available, it has been shown that they notably improve the accuracy of capacity evaluations. Given that many pathological conditions could result in impaired decisional capacity, physicians must be able to correctly and consistently assess the capacity for which education and previous experience are pivotal.

Capacity to Consent to Research Among Adolescent-Parent Dyads in Rakai, Uganda

To assess the cognitive capacity of early, middle, and late adolescents and their parents or guardians to provide informed consent to a population-based cohort study. Adolescent-parent/guardian dyads including 40 early (n=80; 10-14years), 20 middle (15-17years), and 20 late (18-19years) adolescents were recruited from the Rakai Community Cohort Study, an open demographic cohort in Uganda. Participants were administered the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Clinical Research, a structured open-ended assessment; interviews were recorded and transcribed. Twenty transcripts were scored independently by two coders; the intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.89. The remaining interviews were scored individually. We compared mean scores for early and middle/late adolescents using a one-sided t test and score differences between parent/guardian and adolescent dyads using two-sided paired t tests. Early adolescents (mean score, 28.8; 95% CI, 27.1-30.5) scored significantly lower (P<.01) than middle/late adolescents (32.4; 31.6-33.1). In paired dyad comparisons, we observed no statistically significant difference in scores between parents/guardians and middle/late adolescents (difference,-0.2; 95% CI,-1.0-0.6). We found a statistically significant difference in scores between parents/guardians and early adolescents (difference, 3.0; 95% CI,1.2-4.8). The capacity of adolescents-of different ages and in diverse settings-to comprehend risks, benefits, and other elements of informed consent is a critical but understudied area in research ethics. Our findings support the practice of having middle and late adolescents provide independent informed consent for sexual and reproductive health studies. Early adolescents may benefit from supported decision-making approaches.

Capacity to Consent for Treatment in Patients with Psychotic Disorder: A Cross-Sectional Study from North Karnataka.

Recently, the Mental Healthcare Act (MHCA) 2017 was introduced in India. Being a right-based act, it has made the assessment of the capacity to consent an integral part of clinical work. To the best of our knowledge, there are no Indian studies on this topic. Hence, this study aimed to assess the capacity to consent to mental healthcare and treatment in patients with functional psychosis and the factors affecting the same. This cross-sectional study included participants with the ICD-10 DCR diagnosis of a psychotic disorder admitted in the psychiatry ward of a tertiary health care center in Karnataka, India. MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Treatment was used to assess the capacity to consent to treatment. Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and the Beck Cognitive Insight Scale were applied to assess the severity of psychosis and level of insight, respectively. A hundred participants were recruited. Twenty-four were found to have an intact capacity to consent to treatment. High BPRS scores (P value = 0.0002) and low insight scores (P value = 0.0002) were associated with an impaired capacity. About one-fourth of participants had an intact capacity to consent to treatment. Higher severity of psychosis and a poorer insight into the illness were associated with impaired capacity to consent.

Diminished capacity to make treatment decision for COVID-19 vaccination in schizophrenia.

Recent evidence suggests that people with schizophrenia are at high risk for severe COVID-19 and should be prioritized for vaccination. However, impaired decision-making capacities could negatively affect the uptake of COVID-19 vaccination in this population. Capacity to consent to COVID-19 vaccination was assessed in 80 outpatients with schizophrenia. Using the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Treatment, 56.3% of the sample were classified as having diminished capacity to consent to the vaccination. Diminished capacity to consent to COVID-19 vaccination was associated with lower vaccination rates, poorer cognition and higher level of psychotic symptoms. Developing interventions for enhancing informed consent for vaccination is urgent within this population.

Relationship Between Cognitive Functions and Decision-Making Capacity in Older Institutionalized Patients with Schizophrenia: A Preliminary Study.

BackgroundDecision-making capacity for patients with psychiatric disorders is an important and controversial issue in clinical care settings. The aim of this study was to (1) evaluate the level of decision-making capacity of older institutionalized patients suffering from schizophrenia and (2) determine whether their diminished capacity is associated with specific aspects of cognitive impairment.MethodsUsing a cross-sectional design, we recruited 48 older institutionalized patients (mean age ± standard deviation: 60.0 ± 14.0 years) who were diagnosed with schizophrenia. Participants underwent the assessments by the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Treatment (MacCAT-T) and the Japanese version of the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (Japanese-BACS).ResultsThe understanding summary scores of the MacCAT were found to have a significant positive correlation with the attention and verbal fluency subscale scores of the Japanese-BACS and negative correlations with age and duration of illness. In addition, the appreciation and reasoning summary scores had a significant negative correlation with age. In a linear regression model with a stepwise selection procedure, age, sex, and verbal fluency subscale scores were associated with understanding summary scores.ConclusionThe generally poor cognitive performance of inpatients with chronic schizophrenia indicated that the informed consent process for their treatment might pressure these patients on the basis of cognitive demands. It is necessary for psychiatrists to assess individual decision-making capacity and to increase their patients’ involvement in the treatment process.

Interface of Law and Psychiatric Problems in the Elderly.

Interface of Law and Psychiatric Problems in the Elderly.

Treatment Decision-Making Capacity in Forensic vs Non-forensic Psychiatric Patients: A European Comparison.

Consent to treatment is a cornerstone of medical ethics and law. Nevertheless, very little empirical evidence is available to inform clinicians and policymakers regarding the capacities of forensic patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs) to make decisions about their treatment, with the risk of clinical and legal inertia, silent coercion, stigmatization, or ill-conceived reforms. In this multinational study, we assessed and compared with treatment-related decisional capacities in forensic and non-forensic patients with SSD. 160 forensic and 139 non-forensic patients were used in Austria, Germany, Italy, Poland, and England. Their capacity to consent to treatment was assessed by means of the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Treatment (MacCAT-T). Multiple generalized linear regression models were used to identify the socio-demographic and clinical variables associated with MacCAT-T scores. In total, 55 forensic (34.4%) and 58 non-forensic patients (41.7%) showed high treatment-related decisional capacity, defined as scoring ≥75% of the maximum scores for the understanding, appreciation and reasoning, and 2 for expressing a choice. Forensic patients showed differences in their capacity to consent to treatment across countries. Of all socio-demographic and clinical variables, only "social support" was directly relevant to policy. Forensic patients have treatment-related decisional capacities comparable with their non-forensic counterparts. Social contacts might provide a substantial contribution towards enhancing the decisional autonomy of both forensic and non-forensic patients, hence improving the overall quality and legitimacy of mental health care.

The Relationship Between Decision-making Capacity and the Domains of Awareness in Alzheimer Disease.

People with Alzheimer dementia (PwAD) who are aware of their overall cognitive function and diagnosis are more likely to be judged competent in decision-making capacity. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the relationship between decision-making capacity and the different domains of awareness and the relationship between decision-making capacity and the cognitive and clinical impairment of the PwAD. Using a cross-sectional design, we included 121 PwAD and their caregivers. Awareness was assessed across domains, including cognitive functioning and health condition, functional activity impairments, emotional state, social functioning, and interpersonal relationships. The MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Treatment was adopted to gather information about decision-making abilities. We found that decision-making capacity is related to the cognitive and functional domains of awareness and relatively independent of the emotional functioning and the relationship domains. Our finding highlighted that PwAD who are unaware of the disease or the cognitive and functional impairments might be unlikely to appreciate the personal benefits of a proposed health treatment or to understand and judge the personal consequences of a decision accurately.

Assessing Medical Decision-Making Competence in Transgender Youth.

According to international transgender care guidelines, an important prerequisite for puberty suppression (PS) is transgender adolescents' competence to give informed consent (IC). In society, there is doubt whether transgender adolescents are capable of this, which in some countries has even led to limited access to this intervention. Therefore, this study examined transgender adolescents' medical decision-making competence (MDC) to give IC for starting PS in a structured, replicable way. Additionally, potential associated variables on MDC, such as age, intelligence, sex, psychological functioning, were investigated. A cross-sectional semistructured interview study with 74 transgender adolescents (aged 10-18 years; 16 birth-assigned boys, 58 birth-assigned girls) within two Dutch specialized gender-identity clinics was performed. To assess MDC, judgements based on the reference standard (clinical assessment) and the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Treatment (MacCAT-T), a validated semistructured interview, were used. Of the transgender adolescents, 93.2% (reference standard judgements; 69 of 74) and 89.2% (MacCAT-T judgements; 66 of 74) were assessed competent to consent. Intermethod agreement was 87.8% (65 of 74). Interrater agreements of the reference standard and MacCAT-T-based judgements were 89.2% (198 of 222) and 86.5% (192 of 222), respectively. IQ and sex were both significantly related to MacCAT-T total score, whereas age, level of emotional and behavioral challenges, and diagnostic trajectories duration were not. By using the MacCAT-T and clinicians' assessments, 93.2% and 89.2%, respectively, of the transgender adolescents in this study were assessed competent to consent for starting PS.

Improving Our Understanding of Medical Decision-Making Competence in Puberty Suppression.

Improving Our Understanding of Medical Decision-Making Competence in Puberty Suppression.