Browsing by Author "Sharratt, James Gillespie"
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- ItemThe efficacy of the MacArthur competence assessment tool for treatment decisions (MacCAT-T) to assess South African patients' abilities to give consent to treatment(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 1997) Sharratt, James Gillespie; Nortje, C.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Psychology.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The efficacy of the MacCAT-T to assess the competency of South African patients to give consent to treatment was investigated with a group of hospitalised mentally-ill patients. Comparisons and correlations between MacCAT-T and clinical interviews (by clinicians and psychiatric nurses) indicate that the concurrent validity of the MacCAT-T is relatively high. The MacCAT-T thus appears to be an accurate indicator of competence to give consent to treatment. Clinicians in South Africa are likely to experience the MacCAT-T as a helpful guideline when making decisions concerning a patient's competency to give consent to treatment. The MacCAT-T was most accurate when conducted in a patient's home language. Before the MacCAT-T can be used optimally in South Africa, standardised translations of this assessment tool are essential. Although there is a significant association between education and competence to give consent to treatment, the MacCAT-T does not appear to be too advanced for the South African population. There was a significant association between legal status and Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF), and competency to give consent to treatment. Voluntary patients with higher GAF scores were more likely to be judged competent. Clinicians are thus encouraged to be aware of the numerous factors that may affect the assessment of competence to give consent to treatment.