What distinguishes Factitious Disorders from other disorders?

Factitious Disorders are characterized by the intentional production or feigning of physical or psychological symptoms in oneself or in another person (such as a child or dependent). The key element that distinguishes these disorders is the absence of obvious external rewards for the behavior. Individuals with Factitious Disorders are not motivated by external gains such as financial compensation or avoidance of legal responsibilities; instead, the behavior typically stems from a desire to assume the sick role and receive medical attention.

This differentiates Factitious Disorders from malingering, where symptoms are intentionally produced for external benefits. In contrast, the motivations in Factitious Disorders are rooted more in psychological needs. Furthermore, while there can be the presence of distress and dysfunction, the absence of obvious external motivations is critically what sets Factitious Disorders apart in the DSM-5 classification.

The remaining answer choices do not accurately capture the distinguishing feature of Factitious Disorders; for example, the symptoms should not be tied to a known medical condition (as stated in the incorrect choice) and severe mental illness is not a prerequisite for this disorder.