A clinical study of competency in child psychiatric inpatients.

A 17-item competency questionnaire, modified for use with children and adolescents (CQ-ChP), was used to evaluate competency to consent to hospitalization and treatment in child psychiatric inpatients. A total of 25 consecutive English-speaking psychiatric child inpatient admissions were studied. Demographic data were statistically analyzed using chi 2, and there were no significant statistical differences between the competent and incompetent groups (using CQ-ChP scores and cut-offs). The various demographic/clinical variables and scores on the questionnaire were also statistically evaluated using chi 2. The only statistical significance was the association between reading level and competency with a value of p < .05. Therefore, by achieving a reading level at the fifth-grade standard, subjects were found to be competent as measured by the CQ-ChP.