In the context of Factitious Disorder, what does "external benefit" refer to?

In the context of Factitious Disorder, "external benefit" specifically refers to personal gain such as attention or sympathy. Individuals with Factitious Disorder intentionally produce or feign physical or psychological symptoms primarily to assume the sick role, which allows them to receive care, attention, and emotional support from others. This can involve eliciting sympathy or concern from healthcare providers or loved ones, reinforcing their identity as someone in need.

This concept distinguishes Factitious Disorder from other conditions where symptoms are not intentionally produced for external rewards. The disorder is characterized by the absence of tangible external rewards, in contrast to secondary gain seen in other contexts, such as malingering. Hence, the motivation is largely psychological rather than focused on genuine medical benefits or improvement in one's health status.