Which term is used for deliberately reporting symptoms for personal gain?

• A. Malingering
• B. Factitious Disorder
• C. Illness Anxiety Disorder
• D. Somatic Symptom Disorder

Answer: (A)

Malingering is the term for deliberately feigning or exaggerating physical or psychological symptoms to gain external benefits, such as money, time off work, or access to medications. The defining feature is intentional production of symptoms motivated by concrete external incentives.

Factitious Disorder also involves intentionally produced symptoms, but the motivation is internal—driven by a psychological need to assume the sick role—rather than for tangible external rewards.

Illness Anxiety Disorder refers to excessive worry about having a serious illness, often with little or no actual somatic symptoms, and without intentional production of symptoms.

Somatic Symptom Disorder involves real symptoms that are distressing and result in excessive thoughts, feelings, or behaviors, but these symptoms are not intentionally produced.

So the term that fits deliberate symptom reporting for personal gain is malingering.