Psychiatry and Psychology

Mental Competency

The ability to understand the nature and effect of the act in which the individual is engaged. (From Black's Law Dictionary, 6th ed).

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

The ability to understand the nature and effect of the act in which the individual is engaged. (From Black's Law Dictionary, 6th ed).

MeSH Record

Classification

Broader headings

Related Concepts

Knowledge Graph

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MeSH Record

See Also

MeSH Record

Synonyms

8 entry terms
  • Competency, Mental
  • Mental Competence
  • Competence, Mental
  • Competence
  • Incompetence, Mental
  • Incompetency, Mental
  • Mental Incompetence
  • Mental Incompetency

MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

4 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings classification, legislation & jurisprudence, psychology, standards.

MeSH Record

Indexing Annotation

in mental retard or organic or psychiat mental disord; coord IM with concomitant disord /psychol (IM); competency to consent: coord IM with INFORMED CONSENT (IM)

MeSH Record

History Note

92

MeSH Record

Previous Indexing

  • Forensic Psychiatry (1966-1991)
  • Mental Disorders (1966-1991)
  • Mental Retardation (1966-1991)

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Numbers

  1. F01.590
  2. F02w.410
  3. I01w.880w.604.583w.530
  4. N03w.706.535w.625

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Mental Competency. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D016743. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D016743
  2. Mental Competency. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q28692637