malingering

(noun)

Fabricating or exaggerating the symptoms of mental or physical disorders for a variety of "secondary gain" motives, such as financial compensation; avoiding school, work, or military service; obtaining drugs; getting lighter criminal sentences; or attracting attention or sympathy.

Related Terms

Examples of malingering in the following topics:

  • Factitious Disorders

    • They are also distinct from other psychiatric disorders such as malingering, in that factitious disorders do not fabricate symptoms for material gain such as financial compensation, absence from work, or access to drugs.
    • This is in contrast to malingering, in which the patient wishes to obtain external gains such as disability payments or to avoid an unpleasant situation, such as military duty.

  • Somatic Symptom Disorders

    • Somatic symptom disorders are not the result of conscious malingering (fabricating or exaggerating symptoms for secondary motives) or factitious disorders (deliberately producing, feigning, or exaggerating symptoms)–sufferers perceive their plight as real.