Which disorder involves feigning illness or symptoms without external rewards?

• A. Factitious disorder
• B. Malingering
• C. Somatic symptom disorder
• D. Conversion disorder

Answer: (A)

Feigning illness to gain care and attention without any clear external payoff is characteristic of factitious disorder. In this condition, the person intentionally creates or symptomatically exaggerates illness to assume the sick role and receive medical attention, sympathy, or care, with no obvious incentive outside of those psychological needs. This differs from malingering, where the feigned symptoms are pursued for concrete external benefits, such as avoiding work, obtaining money, or evading duties. Somatic symptom disorder involves real distress from physical symptoms that are not consciously produced or feigned, and conversion disorder presents neurological-like symptoms that are not intentionally faked. So, the presence of deliberate symptom production without external rewards points to factitious disorder.