Factitious Disorder 325
Factitious Disorder Imposed on Another 
(Previously Factitious Disorder by Proxy)  
A. Falsification of physical or psychological signs or symptoms, or induction of injury or
disease, in another, associated with identified deception.
B. The individual presents another individual (vic tim) to others as ill, impaired, or injured.
C. The deceptive behavior is evident even in the absence of obvious external rewards.
D. The behavior is not better explained by another mental disorder, such as delusional
disorder or another psychotic disorder.
Note: The perpetrator, not the victim, receives this diagnosis.
Specify:
Single episode
Recurrent episodes  (two or more events of falsification of illness and/or induction of
injury)
Recording Procedures
When an individual falsifies illness in another (e .g., children, adults, pets), the diagnosis is
factitious disorder imposed on another. The pe rpetrator, not the victim, is given the diag-
nosis. The victim may be given an abuse di agnosis (e.g., 995.54 [T74.12X]; see the chapter
“Other Conditions That May Be a Focus of Clinical Attention”). 
Diagnostic Features
The essential feature of factitious disorder is th e falsification of medical or psychological signs
and symptoms in oneself or others that are as sociated with the identified deception. Indi-
viduals with factitious disorder can also seek  treatment for themselves  or another following
induction of injury or disease. The diagnosis requires demonstrating that the individual is
taking surreptitious actions to misrepresent, simulate, or ca use signs or symptoms of ill-
ness or injury in the absence of obvious exte rnal rewards. Methods of illness falsification
can include exaggeration, fabrication, simula tion, and induction. While a preexisting med-