Critically evaluate the difficulties of assessing malingering in Essay

Critically evaluate the difficulties of assessing malingering in anxiety disorders - Essay Example In view of the basic assumptions that are made about the honesty of self reporting by the patient, the detection of mild forms of malingering becomes difficult. Forensic and other tests have been developed to detect malingering, especially in the case of those individuals whose competency to stand trial for criminal convictions is being tested. Malingering has been defined by the American Psychiatric Association as the â€Å"intentional production of false or grossly exaggerated physical or psychological symptoms† in the pursuit for â€Å"external incentives† (APA, 1994, p 63). Some of these incentives may be escaping criminal conviction, receiving financial compensation or in order to gain access to drugs or medication. In some cases, individuals may exhibit symptoms of malingering solely for the purpose of receiving sympathy and care through being cast in a patient’s role, and in particular may be a component of psychiatric conditions such as anxiety or personality disorders. (APA, 1994:648). Malingering is generally encountered in the case of those individuals for conditions that may be easily faked such as pain or anxiety and is most prevalent in male dominated environments such as the military or in correctional facilities and veteran hospitals. Malingering poses a challenge in health care because it affects the delivery of health care to patients who may genuinely need it by diverting treatment and medical resources to those who are not really ill and by wasting the time and energy of staff members thereby resulting in burnout among nurses and medical personnel.(Resnick, 1998). Malingering on the pretext of anxiety disorder is particularly prevalent among school children. It shows up in the form of refusal to attend school. Evans (2000) conducted a study on malingering in school refusals due to purported anxiety disorders and found that