Factitious disorders (Q64094): Difference between revisions

Factitious disorders are characterised by intentionally feigning, falsifying, inducing, or aggravating medical, psychological, or behavioural signs and symptoms or injury in oneself or in another person, most commonly a child dependent, associated with identified deception. A pre-existing disorder or disease may be present, but the individual intentionally aggravates existing symptoms or falsifies or induces additional symptoms. Individuals with factitious disorder seek treatment or otherwise present themselves or another person as ill, injured, or impaired based on the feigned, falsified, or self-induced signs, symptoms, or injuries. The deceptive behaviour is not solely motivated by obvious external rewards or incentives (e.g., obtaining disability payments or evading criminal prosecution). This is in contrast to Malingering, in which obvious external rewards or incentives motivate the behaviour.