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Factitious posttraumatic stress disorder.

L Sparr, L D Pankratz

The American Journal of Psychiatry

|August 1, 1983

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Young men faked posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, claiming to be Vietnam veterans. Verification of military history is crucial for accurate diagnosis, as these patients had factitious disorders, not actual combat trauma.

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Area of Science:

Psychiatry
Psychological Medicine

Background:

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is increasingly diagnosed in young men.
Military service, particularly combat experience in Vietnam, is a common reported stressor.
Factitious disorders involve the intentional production of feigned symptoms for psychological gain.

Observation:

Five young men presented with symptoms suggestive of PTSD.
All patients claimed to be Vietnam veterans, with three also claiming prisoner of war status.
Medical records and interviews revealed none were prisoners of war, four had not served in Vietnam, and two had no military service.

Findings:

All five patients were diagnosed with factitious disorders, not PTSD.
The feigned symptoms mimicked those of combat-related psychological distress.

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Differential diagnosis is essential when presented with unsubstantiated claims of trauma.

Implications:

Healthcare providers must rigorously verify patient histories, especially military service, in suspected PTSD cases.
Factitious disorders can present with complex symptomology, mimicking genuine psychological conditions.
Failure to verify histories can lead to misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment for patients with factitious disorders.