There are patients who will malinger or fake their illness for secondary gain. This can and does pose many problems for an already overworked and strained medical system. One must always be careful not to assume or overgeneralize during diagnostic interviewing; however, there will be cases in which your skills will be tested.

Please read the article “Detecting Deception” and answer the questions.

http://www.amednews.com/article/20120910/profession/309109942/4/

1. Of the 10,000 neuropsychological assessments performed, how many cases involved probable malingering?
2. Probable malingering was present in how many medical cases not related to litigation or compensation claims?
3. What does Dr. Larrabee state about malingering cases?
4. Why do patients pretend to be sick?
5. What is motivating people to fake illness?
6. Why is difficult to detect malingering?
7. Where do patients go to learn the symptoms of their condition? How can this be problematic for detecting malingering?
8. What is a key barrier to pinpointing malingering?
9. What are some signs that the patient may be faking?
10. Why is malingering a problem in the healthcare field?
11. What are some questions doctors should ask themselves?
12. Review how to identify a malinger. Is there anything else you can think of to detect malingering?