NCJ Number
191357
Journal
Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Volume: 29 Issue: 3 Dated: 2001 Pages: 298-302
Date Published
2001
Length
5 pages
Annotation
A 19-item competency questionnaire for pediatric patients (CQ-Peds) was used to assess competency to consent to treatment in pediatric outpatients and inpatients in 2 university hospitals.
Abstract
A total of 69 consecutive English-speaking pediatric outpatients were studied at hospital A, and 23 consecutive English-speaking pediatric inpatients (from 16 English-speaking households and 7 Spanish-speaking households) were studied at hospital B. Demographic data were statistically analyzed by using the chi-square test, and no significant differences were found between the competent and incompetent groups. CQ-Peds scores correlated highly with age. Using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and the pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC) as a screen for psychopathology, the presence of psychiatric disturbance per se did not correlate with low CQ-Peds scores, nor was there a statistical difference between children from Spanish-speaking households and those from English-speaking households (inpatient hospital B). Overall, the children scored well on the CQ-Peds and demonstrated an appreciation for their illnesses and treatment. The CQ-Peds score correlated highly with the scores on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children Revised Edition vocabulary, comprehension, and similarities subtests and also with the Wide-Range Achievement Test-III reading assessment score (inpatient hospital B). 1 table and 15 references