Differentiate informed consent from assent.

• A. Informed consent is the client's legal authorization; assent is the client's agreement to participate when capacity is limited or for minors; consent may be required from guardians.
• B. Informed consent is optional; assent is the legal consent.
• C. Assent replaces consent entirely.
• D. Both have identical meaning.

Answer: (A)

Informed consent and assent address honoring someone’s autonomy in decisions about treatment. Informed consent is the client’s legal authorization to participate, given only when the person has the capacity to understand the information and make a voluntary, well-informed decision after learning about the purpose, risks, benefits, and alternatives. Assent is the affirmative agreement to participate from someone who cannot provide full consent—usually a minor or a person with limited capacity—obtained in an age-appropriate, understandable way. When capacity is limited or the person is a minor, a guardian or parent provides the formal consent, while the individual’s assent shows their willingness to participate. So, consent is the formal authorization by the capable individual (or their surrogate); assent is the participant’s agreement to participate when full consent cannot be given, and it does not replace the need for guardian consent.