# 204 - 6D5Z Factitious disorder, unspecified

# 6D5Z Factitious disorder, unspecified

597
Factitious disorders
separately using the appropriate code from Chapter 23 on external causes of morbidity 
or mortality.
• There is evidence that a significant proportion of perpetrators of factitious disorder 
imposed on another have a history of factitious disorder imposed on self.
Boundary with normality (threshold)
• Some individuals whose loved ones have medical conditions may exaggerate the reports 
of symptoms to medical professionals in order to get their loved one’s care prioritized, 
or to access additional treatments they perceive as necessary or potentially beneficial. 
Factitious disorder imposed on another should only be considered if there is evidence that 
the person is feigning, falsifying or intentionally inducing or aggravating the symptoms of 
the other person.
 Sex- and/or gender-related features
• The most common presentation of factitious disorder imposed on another is a mother who 
fabricates symptoms in one or more of her children.
Boundaries with other disorders and conditions (differential diagnosis)
Boundary with motivated deception related to physical abuse
Caregivers who lie about the cause of abuse injuries in their dependents (e.g. claiming that an 
injury was the result of an “accident” rather than child or elder abuse) solely in order to avoid 
criminal prosecution or the intervention of child protective services should not be diagnosed with 
factitious disorder imposed on another. The diagnosis of factitious disorder imposed on another 
requires a clinical judgement that there are additional motivations for the deceptive behaviour, 
such as obtaining the attention and admiration of health-care providers.
Boundary with mental disorders with psychotic symptoms
Individuals with other mental disorders (e.g. schizophrenia and other primary psychotic 
disorders, mood disorders) may sometimes harm others, including their children, in response 
to a command hallucination or a delusion, or as part of a suicide attempt. In such cases, there 
is typically no evidence of deception associated with the harmful behaviour other than to 
avoid criminal prosecution for child abuse or other intervention (e.g. removal of a child by 
protective services).
Factitious disorder, unspecified
6D5Z
Factitious disorders | Factitious disorder, unspecified

Clinical Descriptions and Diagnostic Requirements for ICD-11 Mental, Behavioural or Neurodevelopmental Disorders