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BMC Psychiatry
Published in: BMC Psychiatry 1/2018

Open Access 01-12-2018 | Research article

An evaluation of functional mental capacity in forensic mental health practice: the Dundrum capacity ladders validation study

Authors: Gearoid Moynihan, Ken O’Reilly, Jane O’Connor, Harry G. Kennedy

Published in: BMC Psychiatry | Issue 1/2018

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Abstract

Background

Because of the potential gravity of finding a person incompetent, assessment of mental capacity is challenging for clinicians. We aimed to test validity of a new structured professional judgement tool designed to assess functional mental capacity in three domains – finances, welfare and healthcare.

Methods

Fifty-five male forensic psychiatric patients with Schizophrenia were interviewed using the Dundrum Capacity Ladders – a new semi-structured interview, and scores were assigned on a stratified scoring system, measuring ability to understand, reason, appreciate the personal importance of the decision at hand and communicate a decision. Data were also gathered pertaining to level of therapeutic security at the time of interview, diagnosis, neurocognitive function and a validated measure of real world function.

Results

The results show that internal consistency and inter-rater reliability were high for all items. There were correlations between higher scores of functional mental capacity, neurocognitive function and measures of real world function in this population. Correlations were in the range 0.358 to 0.693, effect sizes that were moderate to high.

Conclusions

The DUNDRUM Capacity Ladders appear to be a valid measure of functional mental capacity in this population. Further prospective studies of functional mental capacity as a measure of recovery are now required.
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Metadata
Title
An evaluation of functional mental capacity in forensic mental health practice: the Dundrum capacity ladders validation study
Authors
Gearoid Moynihan
Ken O’Reilly
Jane O’Connor
Harry G. Kennedy
Publication date
01-12-2018
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Psychiatry / Issue 1/2018
Electronic ISSN: 1471-244X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-018-1658-2

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