A mother who repeatedly seeks medical treatment for her child's unusual illness and is overly involved in the child's treatment might need to be assessed for _____________.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The behavior described in the question is characteristic of factitious disorder by proxy, also known as Munchausen syndrome by proxy. This is a mental health condition in which a caregiver (often a parent) fabricates or induces symptoms in someone under their care in order to gain attention or sympathy for themselves. In this case, the mother is repeatedly seeking medical treatment for her child's illness and may be overly involved in the child's treatment as a way to meet her own emotional needs. Malingering involves intentionally feigning or exaggerating symptoms for personal gain, conversion disorder involves physical symptoms that cannot be explained by medical causes, and illness phobia involves excessive anxiety or fear about contracting an illness or disease. None of these conditions fully fit the description provided in the question.

A Mother Who Repeatedly Seeks Medical Treatment for Her Child's