Synonyms
Assessment of consent
Definition
Informed consent is a legal procedure to ensure that a patient or client knows all of the risks and costs involved in an action. It is based on the understanding and appreciation of the facts and possible implications. The subject must be of sound mind and not impaired by intoxication, sleep deprivation, mental retardation, mental illness with impairment of judgment, and other health problems that may affect reasoning. The participant must not be coerced to consent but should do so voluntarily. In instances in which the subject cannot give informed consent, another person legally authorized may give consent on his or her behalf. Examples include legal guardians or caregivers of the mentally ill. In cases where limited information is provided in the informed consent in order to maintain the integrity of the study, ethical issues must be addressed and prevented by an institutional review board. At times, informed consent is implied rather than...
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References and Readings
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DeFabrique, N. (2018). Informed Consent. In: Kreutzer, J.S., DeLuca, J., Caplan, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57111-9_994
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57111-9_994
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