Heather is deliberately faking symptoms of illness in order to gain the attention of doctors. This behaviour is best described as:

A) conversion disorder.
B) factitious disorder.
C) malingering.
D) somatizing.
E) faking.

Factitious Disorder

A disorder characterized by faking or producing symptoms of illness or injury (e.g., by putting blood in a urine sample or swallowing a noxious substance) to gain a doctor’s attention and thus satisfy a need to play the role of patient. Classified in DSM-5 within the group of somatic symptom and related disorders.

Malingering

Pretending to be ill in order to achieve some specific objective. Not to be considered a somatoform disorder, in which the sufferer truly believes there is a serious physical problem.

Conversion Disorder

A mental condition where psychological stress is manifested as physical symptoms without an underlying medical cause.