Components and Processes of Supported Decision-Making by Professional Guardians for Individuals with Diminished Decision-Making Capacity

Abstract

This research examined the components and processes of supported decision-making by professional guardians (e.g., social workers, lawyers, and judicial scriveners) for individuals who lack the capacity to make judgments. For this purpose, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 professional guardians regarding the specifics of decision-making support for people under wards, conservators, and assistants. The data were then analyzed by using qualitative coding, which generated 51 codes and 16 categories. The 16 categories were further divided into five support process categories: creating the intension, expressing the intension, realizing the intention, establishing the preconditions of supported decision-making, and providing support as a team. Specifically, the first three support processes progress linearly and recursively. The results of this study revealed that professional guardians generally follow sound practices in regard to supported decision-making processes, which consists of forming, expressing, and realizing the intention of the person-in-need.