Which statement correctly differentiates capacity from competence?

Which statement correctly differentiates capacity from competence?

• A. Capacity is a legal determination by a court; competence is clinical
• B. Capacity is the patient's ability to understand, appreciate, and communicate decisions; competence is a legal determination by a court
• C. They are the same concept
• D. Capacity applies only to financial decisions

Answer: (B)

Capacity is the person’s present ability to understand information, appreciate its implications, reason about options, and communicate a decision for a specific matter. It can vary by decision and can change over time, and clinicians assess it for that particular choice (for example, medical treatment consent). Competence is a legal status determined by a court, indicating whether a person has the overall ability to manage their affairs. It is usually global and binary, and a court may appoint a guardian or surrogate if someone is found not competent. Thus, capacity is a clinical, decision-specific ability, while competence is a legal determination.

Capacity is the person’s present ability to understand information, appreciate its implications, reason about options, and communicate a decision for a specific matter. It can vary by decision and can change over time, and clinicians assess it for that particular choice (for example, medical treatment consent). Competence is a legal status determined by a court, indicating whether a person has the overall ability to manage their affairs. It is usually global and binary, and a court may appoint a guardian or surrogate if someone is found not competent. Thus, capacity is a clinical, decision-specific ability, while competence is a legal determination.